27-06-2021
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Sunday
DhAkA: June 27, 2021; Ashar 13, 1428 BS; Zilqad 15,1442 hijri
www.thebangladeshtoday.com; www.bangladeshtoday.net
Regd.No.DA~2065, Vol.19; N o. 81; 12 Pages~Tk.8.00
international
Australia battles Delta
Covid surge as Europe
eases restrictions
>Page 7
SPortS
Italy ready for last
16 as Wales face
Denmark at Euro 2020
>Page 9
Govt wants to vaccinate
people quickly: Kamal
art & culture
Apurba, Sabila's
new drama
'Agdum Bagdum'
>Page 10
Countrywide Strict
lockdown begins
tomorrow
ShAfiquL iSLAM (ShAfiq)
Country wide strict lockdown is going to
start from Monday (June 28) to prevent
coronavirus infection and control the
death. This was informed in a statement
on Friday (June 25) night. However, after
the announcement of the lockdown, the
capital's markets were also flooded with
shoppers immediately. Most of the people
are stocking up on two-week products.
Their idea is to announce the lockdown
a week later but the time may
increase later. State Minister for Public
Administration Farhad Hossain said that,
the government and non-government
offices would be closed during the lockdown.
No one can leave the house without
an urgent need. The announcement
did not give any instructions on whether
the daily necessities shop or market will
remain open or closed. As a result, buyers
and sellers feel that the crowd in the market
has increased a bit.
People rushed to the markets: Most of
the people in the capital have been stockpiling
food for two weeks due to the lockdown
announcement. For this reason, the
crowd of buyers in the markets and super
shops of different areas of the capital
including Mohammadpur, Karwan Bazar,
Rampura, Rayer Bazar, Dhanmondi,
Uttara, Badda, Azimpur, Motijheel,
Khilgaon, Gulshan has been more noticeable.
Vendors saying most buyers are
shopping for seven to 14 days. They said
the price is the same as before.
BNP is party of
public property
looters: Quader
DHAKA : Awami League General
Secretary and Road Transport and
Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader yesterday
said BNP is a political party of 'branded
repressors' and looters of people's
property. He said this at a regular press
conference at his official residence here.
"Now BNP is very much frustrated as
well as their future is also very foggy.
'Octopus' of crisis has suppressed BNP.
Their politics is now on the verge of a deep
ditch," he said. Quader said BNP is making
baseless and ridiculous comments and
spreading falsehood against the government
to hide their own failures. BNP cannot
remain happy without spreading
hatred against the government, he said.
About BNP secretary general Mirza
Fakhrul Islam Alamgir's comment that
the country is now in deep crisis, the AL
general secretary said not the country,
rather BNP is going through deep crisis.
BNP is getting isolated from the people
day by day due to mistrust towards
top leadership, indecision, taking
stance against polls and practice of
undemocratic acts.
Zohr
03:44 AM
12:10 PM
04:40 PM
06:52 PM
08:18 PM
5:11 6:49
DHAKA : Finance Minister AHM
Mustafa Kamal yesterday said that vaccinating
the country's people against
the COVID-19 is a "must" while the government
is pursuing all possible means
to vaccinate people as fast as possible to
ensure their health safety.
"Although we're a bit concerned (about
the vaccines), but for now vaccination
against COVID-19 is a must. We'll have
to vaccinate people as fast as possible
and we're pursuing all possible means.
Insha Allah, you'll get good results," he
said. The Finance Minister was replying to
queries of reporters after chairing two separate
meetings virtually on the Cabinet
Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA)
and the Cabinet Committee on
Government Purchase (CCGP).
Asked about the macroeconomic
attainments in the outgoing fiscal year
(FY21), he said that the government has
materialized almost all the projections
that it had made earlier although it
might seem "unbelievable".
"Even the toughest sector in this pandemic,
that is revenue collection, witnessed
a 17 percent growth alongside
attaining uptrend in the foreign currency
reserve and the inward remittance
flow. All turned out to be true, which
were supposed to happen. The expatriates
have sent money to Bangladesh out
of their love, passion and responsibility
to the countrymen," he said.
Kamal said that the inward remittance
flow is poised to reach $25 billion this
year which would be the highest ever for
Bangladesh. He said, adding, "We don't
believe in "no" rather we believe in "yes".
Almighty Allah has always stood beside us
and would also stand beside us in future
......May all of us remain healthy, sound
and our lives become beautiful despite the
pandemic."
Replying to a question about the government
steps for the poor ahead of the
hard lockdown to be enforced from
Monday, he said that the government
has been supporting the poor class as
cash transfers have already been directed
to the poor section of people.
He said the the identified poor would
be given support further.
The Finance Minister said there is a
separate committee of the government to
look into the matter side by side Prime
Minister Sheikh Hasina herself is also
taking care of the issue adding that the
poor are being taken care of and would be
taken care of in the days to come.
Replying to another question about
the RMG owners plea to reschedule
their loans beyond June 30, he said
decision in this regard is yet to be taken
and when it would be finalized, then
everyone would come to know about
the developments.
BD to get 2.5 mn doses of
Moderna vaccine
DHAKA : Bangladesh will soon get 2.5
million doses of Moderna Covid-19 vaccine
under COVAX facilityas the country's
desperate wait for vaccines from many
sources is getting longer.
Health Minister Zahid Maleque and US
Ambassador to Bangladesh Earl Miller
have confirmed it. COVAX, the global vaccine
alliance, has already written to
Bangladesh that the Moderna vaccine shots
will be arriving here within seven to10days.
Ambassador Miller tweeted saying that
Bangladesh will soon receive a gift of 2.5
million doses of Moderna Covid-19 vaccine
from the American people via GAVI.
"As the largest contributor to COVAX,
the U.S. is committed to increasing the
country's vaccine supply to beat the pandemic
here and worldwide,"hesaid.
The World Health Organization
(WHO) on Friday condemned a global
failure noting thattherich countries are
opening up societies and vaccinating
young people who are not at great risk
from Covid-19, while the poorest countries
cruelly lack doses.
Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen
on Tuesday said Covid-19 vaccine has
now apparently become another "tool of
exploitation"mentioningthat some rich
countries are holding back vaccine doses
beyond their internal demands.
"They (rich countries) assure us only
saying, you don't worry, but nobody gives
us vaccines. In some cases, they want to
know whether we (Bangladesh) will support
them on a particular issue (various
elections in global forums). That should
not be tagged with Covid vaccination. It
should be independent," he said without
naming any specific country.
Dr Momen said Prime Minister Sheikh
Hasina has been saying from day one that
vaccines should be a public good and should
be affordable to everyone. "No discrimination
should be there.
Later in the afternoon, in the western part of the north of the capital, there is a beautiful view.
Nature lovers come to visit on holidays to see.
Photo: PBA
Crowds of homebound people at the Mawa ferry terminal due to 'severe lockdown' from
next Monday.
Photo: PBA
Efforts to be continued for
creating entrepreneurs in
rural areas : Nasrul
DHAKA : State Minister for Power,
Energy and Mineral Resources Nasrul
Hamid on Saturday said efforts will
have to continue for creating entrepreneurs
in rural areas.
"If rural people are involved in economic
activities, then balanced development
will be ensured. 'My Village-My
City' program will be implemented
soon," he said this, while giving business
materials to lifeline consumers of
Bangladesh Rural Electrification Board
(REB) as the chief guest virtually.
The BREB arranged the programme
to provide business equipment worth
Tk. 4.23 crore to 385 lifeline consumers
under a project titled "Power to
improve quality of life" implemented by
the government and funded by Asian
Development Bank (ADB).
Welcoming, the initiative to make
lifeline consumers to entrepreneurs,
Nasrul said small entrepreneurs need
to be encouraged in poverty alleviation.
Apart from the project, it should also
be done under corporate social responsibility,
he added.
The state minister thanked the ADB
for providing finance to the project to
improve rural livelihood.
He said that the ADB could provide
finance for electricity from waste, recycling
plant, smart prepayment meter,
smart grid, electric vehicle, lithium battery
factory installation, underground
distribution lines, automation in power
People rush to return home
ahead of shutdown
Shimulia ghat under huge pressure
MUNSHIGANJ : Two days ahead of
the seven-day nationwide shutdown,
thousands of people overcrowded the
Shimulia ferry terminal on Saturday in
their frantic efforts to get back their village
homes.
People were seen flocking the
Shimulia-Banglabazar ferry ghat and
crossing the river since morning ignoring
health safety protocols.
All the 16 ferries are now operating to
manage the huge rush of home-bound
people.
Besides, many people gathered on the
other side of the ferry terminal to return
to Dhaka to get their emergency works
done.
Check-posts have been installed in
many important points as the government
earlier enforced restrictions to
limit movement in the district.
Launches, speedboats and trawlers
were seen carrying passengers beyond
their capacities.
The link road near platoon No 3 at the
ghat has gone under water to rains,
adding to the woes of passengers.
Mohammad Foysal, manager of
Bangladesh Inland and Water
TBT RePoRT
Bangladesh on Saturday reported 4,334
COVID-19 cases while the coronavirus
claimed overnight 77 lives, reports
"The tally of infections has surged to
8,83,138 as 4,334 new cases
were confirmed in the last 24 hours . . .
77 people died of COVID-19 during the
period," Directorate General of Health
Services (DGHS) said in its routine daily
statement. A total of 77 COVID-19
patients died in the last 24 hours increasing
the death toll from the pandemic to
14,053. It said 22.50 percent of the 19,262
samples collected in 24 hours were tested
positive while the infection rate was only
2.30 percent just on February 8 this year
as during the late winter season, the rate
started decreasing sharply.
The recovery count rose to 8,00,854
after another 3,295 patients were discharged
from the hospitals during the
past one day. The DGHS statistics showed
of the people infected from the beginning,
90.68 percent recovered, while 1.59 percent
died.
In the past 24 hours, the combined figure
of coronavirus patients in Dhaka city
and upazilas of Dhaka district is 1,328
Transport Corporation (BIWTC), said,
"All the ferries are operating now due to
huge pressure of homebound people. A
long queue of vehicles was also seen
near the ghat for crossing the river."
The government is going to enforce a
new nationwide "strict lockdown" on
Monday, as the country grapples with a
surge in coronavirus cases and fatalities
with the highly infectious Delta variant
playing havoc.
The restrictions will remain in place
for seven days, said Press Information
Department Principal Information
Officer Surath Kumar Sarker on Friday.
Government and private offices, barring
those of emergency services, will
remain shut during this period.
The National Technical Advisory
Committee on Covid-19 pandemic on
Thursday recommended imposing a
"nationwide shutdown" for two weeks
considering the worsening Covid-19 situation
in the country.
Community transmission of the highly
transmissible Delta variant of coronavirus
might be the reason behind the
current Covid-19 situation in the country,
said the committee.
Bangladesh reports 4,334
and energy sectors, etc.
fresh cases
while the tally of infections in the country
has stood at 4,334 during the same period.
The DGHS said as of June 26, 5,10,581
out of 8,83,138 were detected alone in
Dhaka district including the city.
The DGHS said among the total 14,053
fatalities, 7,489 deaths occurred in Dhaka
division, 2,670 in Chattogram, 961 in
Rajshahi, 1,133 in Khulna, 414 in Barishal,
518 in Sylhet, 569 in Rangpur and 299 in
Mymensingh division.
Bangladesh recorded the highest number
of COVID-19 fatality on April 19 this
year when the virus killed 112 people in a
day. The DGHS said Bangladesh's
COVID-19 confirmed cases crossed 5,000
mark on March 29, 2021 and 6,000 mark
on April 1, 2021 while it surpassed 7,000
mark on April 4, 2021. The country
recorded 7,626 COVID-19 cases on April 7
this year, the highest daily spike since the
outbreak of the pandemic, it added.
According to month-wise statistics last
year, 51 COVID-19 positive cases were
detected in March 2020, 7616 in April,
39,486 in May, 98,330 in June, 92,178 in
July, 75,335 in August, 50,483 in
September, 44, 205 in October, 57,248 in
November and 48,578 in December.
SuNDAY, JuNe 27, 2021
2
Dairy farmers
protest throwing
milk on the street
NATORE : Dozens of dairy
farmers on Saturday threw litres
of milk on a road protesting its
falling prices amid corona
lockdowns, reports UNB.
About50 dairy farmers staged
the protest near Bahadurpur
Bazar in Singra Upazila.
They complained that the
price of milk has been falling in
the village markets due to the
continuous lockdowns.
They said they don't even sell
the milk Tk. 20 per kg.
The farmers demanded that
Milkvita buys milk from them
under
government
management so they get fair
price.
Benapole: International
kidney trading racket
busted, one held
BENAPOLE : Border Guard
Bangladesh (BGB) has
claimed to have busted an
international human kidney
trading racket and detained a
gang member, reports UNB.
Members of the force also
rescued a man from the
clutches of the accused as he
was about to be trafficked to
India through the Benapole
border, the BGB said in a
release.
The accused has been
identified as Anisur Rahman,
27, son of Fazlul Haque of
Gazipur City Corporation
area. The rescued man, Md
Yunus Ali, 36, is the son of
Idris Ali Mandal of
Dhukuriabera village in
Sirajganj district.
Newly appointed Army Chief General SM Shafiuddin Ahmed on Saturday paid tribute to the war
heros through laying wreath at National Memorial.
Photo : ISPR
Reward announced for info on
missing Chinese engineer
MUNSHIGANJ : A 26-year-old Chinese
engineer, working in the Padma Bridge
Project, remains missing three days after
he presumably fell into the river near the
Shimulia ferry terminal in Munshiganj's
Louhajang.
Zhao Jianpeng, who was working for
Padma Bridge Project contractor China
Major Bridge Company, went missing on
June 22.
China Major Bridge Engineering
Company announced a Tk2 lakh reward
for information about Zhao's
whereabouts, Mawa river police Officerin-Charge
of Sirajul Kabir said Friday.
"There was no trace of the missing
person, although the fire service, coast
guard, river police; and army personnel
working in the security team of the
project conducted rescue operations
from Tuesday night to Friday," Sirajul
said. "However, the operations will
resume Saturday."
Zhao was tasked with installing a
power tower (number 13) of the National
Grid as part of the project. He had gone
to the tower point for work at 5pm and
went missing around 8:30pm on June
22. His colleagues alerted police after
failing to locate him.
It is suspected that Zhao fell into the
Padma river. However, the local and
foreign engineers, who were also
working there, could not confirm if Zhao
fell into the river since no one saw it
happening.
Sirajul said, "Several engineers and
other workers stay at a makeshift camp
near the ferry terminal in Louhajang,
and they use boats to go to the tower
point in the river daily." "On Tuesday
night, Zhao went to the tower point for
work but went missing around 8.30pm.
His colleagues alerted us after failing to
locate him," he added.
Nuruzzaman elected 1st Vice
President of Asia Startup
Committee of WBAF
Mohammad Nuruzzaman, Group CEO of Daffodil Family,
has recently been elected as the 1st Vice President of Asia
Startup Committee of the World Business Angels
Investment Forum (WBAF). He was also appointed as
Senator of World Business Angels Investment Forum
(WBAF) last year. He will represent Bangladesh in the
grand assembly of WBAF scheduled to be held in February,
2022, a press release said.
This achievement of Mohammad Nuruzzaman paved the
way for the expansion of Bangladeshi Startups in the
international arena. From now on, the access for
Bangladeshi young entrepreneurs to get various global
opportunities has opened up. On the and inputs from the
grassroots levels have not been taken into consideration.
The stimulus package or other incentives work only when
there is an honest business environment, which is lacking
in the country," she said. other hand, local angel investors,
incubation centers, private equity firms, co-investment
funds, and potential entrepreneurs in Bangladesh will be
able to interact with the world's leading business leaders.
Mohammad Nuruzzaman is leading 41 sister concerns of
Daffodil Family and simultaneously working continuously
behind growing up the alumni of different educational
institutions of Daffodil Education Network as Startups.
Beside this, he has associated himself as an Angel investor
with some successful Startups as well.
WBAF is the world's largest forum for startups and
entrepreneurial development. 138 high commissioners and
senators from 79 countries are associated with this forum.
The WBAF Business School has 50 teachers in 32 countries
and 5 International Working Committees. The WBAF
World Congress is held yearly in February.
CGS webinar on Budget 2021-2022:
Business friendly or lacks
transparency ?
DHAKA : Speakers at a webinar on Friday
engaged in a healthy debate on if the national
budget 2021-2022 was a 'one step forward' or
if it severely lacked accountability and
transparency.
Planning Minister M.A. Mannan MP stated
that the government is on the right track in
formulating the budget, reports UNB.
He also stated that a deficit budget is
necessary for growth and poverty alleviation.
The planning minister said that the budget
was business-friendly and "one step forward"
for the country, but he did highlight that he has
not seen the rate of growth in Bangladesh's
economy that he had expected to see yet.
However, Center for Policy Dialogue
executive director Fahmida Khatun said that
the implementation of the budget lacks
accountability and transparency, and
highlighted the lack of discourse on the budget
at the parliament.
"The budget has been prepared using a topdown
approach, and inputs from the
grassroots levels have not been taken into
consideration. The stimulus package or other
incentives work only when there is an honest
business environment, which is lacking in the
country," she said.
According to her, the budget also doesn't
provide sufficient guidance of recovery for
Bangladesh after the pandemic.
They came up with the remarks while
addressing an online discussion organised by
the Centre for Governance Studies on the
proposed National Budget for 2021-2022.
Former commerce minister and BNP
standing committee member Amir Khasru
Mahmud Chowdhury said that t people are too
focused on the details of the budget and not
paying attention to the actual unique economic
model in Bangladesh. He stipulated that the
whole economy has been geared to serve the
2106-180
interest of certain syndicates who are
responsible for vast amounts of money
laundering and black money. Since these
money laundering schemes are also factored
into the GDP measure of the country, he
argued that key indicators of development in
Bangladesh are being distorted. He
emphasised that political decisions have to be
made while keeping the interests of the general
public and not powerful groups and
syndicates.
Besides, former National Board of Revenue
chairman Muhammad Abdul Mazid, Dhaka
University professor Rashed Al Mahmud
Titumir and Economist Muhammed Parvez
Imdad were among the notable speakers at the
event.
Former UPDF member
hacked dead in Khagrachhari
KHAGRACHHARI : A former member of the
United People's Democratic Front (UPDF)
was hacked to death by miscreants in
Dighinala upazila of Khagrachhari on Friday.
The deceased was identified as Amar Jiban
Chakma (40), son of Suresh Chandra Chakma
of Hazarachora Bridge area.
He was picked up from his in-law's house in
Noapara village of the upazila at the late hours
of Friday and was murdered.
Vijay Chakma, father-in-law of the deceased,
said when Amar was sleeping after dinner
some people woke him up and took him to
Baradam East Khamarpara and hacked him to
death with sharp weapons. According to locals
Amar was an active member of UPDF (Prasit
Khisa group).
Dighinala Police Station officer-in-charge
Piar Ahmed said police recovered the body.
Legal action will be taken, he said.
GD-1065/21 (5x3)
GD-1064/21 (11x3)
SUNDAY, JUNE 27, 2021
3
State Minister for Primary and Mass Education Md. Zakir Hossain MP was the chief guest at the
workshop on the achievements of Rocks Face-2 MIS Cell project of the Department of Local
Government Engineering on Saturday.
Photo : Courtesy
Monirul elected president, Asad
GS of Police Service Association
DHAKA : Special Branch Chief
(Additional Inspector General) of
Police Md Monirul Islam and Deputy
Commissioner of Dhaka Metropolitan
Police (DMP) Md Asaduzzaman were
elected president and general secretary
of Bangladesh Police Service
Association (BPSA) respectively.
Both of them were elected unopposed
at the 41st annual general meeting
(AGM) of the association at Rajarbagh
Police Lines Auditorium. The 121-
member committee of the BPSA was
also formed in the AGM.
Inspector General of Police (IGP) and
Chief Advisor of the association Dr
Benazir Ahmed was present at the
AGM as the chief guest, while DMP
Commissioner and President of the
Association Md Shafiqul Islam
presided over the function.
The IGP said as an important
organization of members of the Police
Cadre Service, Bangladesh Police
Service Association is playing a
significant role in solving professional
problems.
"We are celebrating the golden
jubilee of independence in the ongoing
Mujib Borsho. Bangladesh has
achieved a lot in the last 50 years.
Hon'ble Prime Minister has set the
target for the implementation of
Vision-2041. In this situation, the role
of the association must be strong and
the course of action has to be
determined according to the
expectations of the state, society and
the people," he added.
Dr Benazir urged all to perform
duties with responsibility and
professionalism.
Md Mosharraf Hossain, additional
inspector general of APBN, conducted
Out on joyride, woman
raped by six on moving
bus in Chattogram
Chattogram : Out on a joyride with a
male acquaintance, a21-year-old woman
was allegedly held hostage and raped by
six men on a moving bus in Mirsarai
upazila of Chattogram.
All the six men, including the bus
driver and helper, have been arrested
from different parts of the district, police
said on Saturday.
The crime occurred in the intervening
night of Wednesday and Thursday
morning, said officer-in-charge of
Mirsarai Police Station, Mujibul
Rahman.
In her complaint to the police, the
woman claimed that her male
acquaintancetook her out on
Wednesday evening. The duo had
boarded the bus from their native
Sitakunda upazila.
However, when the bus reached the
Hafiz Jute Mill area, the driver and the
helper forced all passengers to get down.
But they didn't let the woman and her
acquaintance to get off. Subsequently,
the duo, along with the four others, took
turns to rape her.
The woman's ordeal didn't end there.
She was forcibly taken to a house in the
upazila and raped over the next 24
hours, according to the complaint.
On her complaint, police lodged a case
and arrested the six men from different
parts of Sitakunda and Mirsarai
upazilas, and Chattogram city on Friday
night.
The arrestees have been identified as
Ashraful Islam, 23, Shahadat Hossain,
19, Nizamuddin Rana, 20, Belal
Hossain, 23, Mohammad Ismail, 31, of
Sitakunda upazila and Mohammad
Sagar Hossain, 22, of Mirsarai upazila.
The woman, a garment factory worker,
was sent to Chattogram Medical College
and Hospital for a medical examination.
SM Rashidul Haque, superintendent
of District Police, said, "We have taken
the case seriously and six people were
arrested in this connection."
the election as the chief election
commissioner, while DIG AFM Masum
Rabbani and DIG AYM Belalur
Rahman were election commissioners.
Additional IGs, heads of various
police units and members of the
association were present on the
occasion and all unit heads outside
Dhaka were connected virtually.
Mohammad Zayedul Alam, general
secretary of BPSA and Police Super of
Narayanganj District delivered the
welcome address and conducted the
program.
Treasurer of the association and
DMP Joint Commissioner Md Anisur
Rahman presented income and
expenditure of the year 2020.
The meeting also observed a minute
silence in mourning the police
personnel who died during the COVID-
19 pandemic.
Govt to procure
33.60 lakh MMBtu
LNG from USA
DHAKA : The
government will procure
some 33.60 lakh MMBtu
LNG from M/S Excelerate
Energy LP, United States
with around Taka 448.17
crore in a bid to meet the
growing demand.
The approval came from
the 23rd meeting of the
Cabinet Committee on
Government Purchase
(CCGP) in this year held
yesterday virtually with
Finance Minister AHM
Mustafa Kamal in the chair.
Briefing reporters after
the meeting virtually,
Cabinet Division
Additional Secretary Md
Shamsul Arefin said that
Petrobangla would procure
such quantity of LNG
where the unit price for per
MMBtu LNG would total
$13.42.
He informed that the
day's CCGP meeting
approved a total of 16
proposals.
Bangladesh Chhatra Union formed a human chain program in front of National Press Club on Friday
to meet their various demands.
Photo : Star Mail
Govt works for poverty
alleviation on priority
basis: Swapan
DHAKA : State Minister
for Local Government,
Rural Development and
Cooperatives Swapan
Bhattacharjee yesterday
said the present
government is working for
poverty alleviation on
priority basis.
"Lakhs of families have
been provided with
houses with land
ownership and by this
initiative, Prime Minister
Sheikh Hasina has set an
example of humanity
before the world, which is
a landmark step in poverty
alleviation," he said,
reports BSS.
"The government has
been working on poverty
alleviation on priority
basis," he added.
He was speaking
virtually from his
residence at a seminar on
'Possibilities and Things to
Do' at Bangabandhu Palli
Poverty Alleviation and
Rural Development
Academy (BAPARD) in
Kotalipara, Gopalganj,
said a press release.
DPS STS School Dhaka
rejoices in the achievements
of Class of 2021
DPS STS School Dhaka (Delhi Public)
celebrated its Graduation Ceremony for the
Class of 2021 recently. The ceremony was
conducted virtually through Zoom alongside
a continuous broadcast via Facebook Live.
Ninety-two students received their
Diplomas and Twelve students obtained
their school completion certificates.
Nayeema Siraj, Student of Grade 12,
delivered the Valedictorian speech during
the Graduation Ceremony. Music and Dance
Teachers put up mesmerising performances
embellishing the Graduation evening's
celebration.
On this occasion, Dr Shivananda CS,
Principal, DPS STS School Dhaka, said, "The
Class of 2021 has proven that they are highly
resilient as they have withstood a demanding
situation with unanticipated changes to their
senior year of the school amid a global
pandemic. Each student stayed committed
to their academic goals as they promptly got
accustomed to the virtual learning model.
The year's graduation ceremony has been
extra special for all families and teachers,
and I am extremely proud to see my students
receive their Diploma."
The Ceremony was attended by the
esteemed Board members, key personnel of
STS Group, Mrs. Madhu Wal - Outgoing
Principal, Dr. Shivananda CS - Principal, and
Mr. Bijo Kurian - Vice Principal of DPS STS
School Dhaka. Mr. Emran Jamshed Taher,
Cambridge First Language English
Assessment Examiner and First Language
Instructor, DPS STS Senior School,
moderated the entire event.
Furthermore, numerous teachers,
students, and parents also highlighted the
Ceremony with their valuable presence.
During the programme, surprise greeting
videos from International educators - Ankur
Vohra, Jindal Global University, India; Biggs
Darren, Tokyo International University,
Japan; Carl Tang, The Hong Kong
Polytechnic University, Hong Kong;
Moustafa Ezz, Huron, Western University,
Canada; Tanushree Bhattacharya,
University of British Columbia, Canada; and
Chris Gibson, University of Manchester, UK
were broadcast.
Finally, multiple teachers expressed
heartfelt messages and felicitations to the
Graduating Batch on their achievements.
The Ceremony concluded with a scintillating
yet nostalgic video shared by the Graduates
of Class 2021 to celebrate their success and
shared their fond memories of High School.
DPS STS School Dhaka (Delhi Public) celebrated its Graduation Ceremony for the Class of 2021
recently.
Photo : Courtesy
Skill training, funds help distress
women becoming entrepreneurs
DHAKA : The indomitable
entrepreneurship spirit of Bangladesh's
women, inspired by Prime Minister
Sheikh Hasina, has showed that they
just need skill training and small capital
to turn themselves not only into a selfreliant
but also a source of creating jobs
for others.
According to the World Economic
Forum (WEF), Bangladesh is now the
second most gender equal country in
Asia, top in South Asia and ranks 47th
among 144 countries of the world in the
Global Gender Gap Index.
"You just need to get a small support
along with your determination and
courageous to achieve your goal," said
Pranitra Sarkar, owner of a Jamdani
cottage industry of Rupganj that has
employed 22 workers.
Sarker, one of the Bangladesh's
unbeatable women whose Jamdani
sharees are now being sold from Taka
20,000 to 45,000 in home and abroad,
thanks to the support of Bangladesh
Small and Cottage Industries
Corporation (BSCIC) that actually plays
the role behind her success.
With the spirit of being entrepreneur,
Sarkar left her job in 2009 and took
training from BSCIC on sewing
Jamdani. "After the training, I took loan
from BSCIC and set up a jamdani
factory in a small scale," she was
describing her journey on the road to
success.
After setting up the factory, Sarkar
didn't need to look back as her products
have attracted consumers from the
beginning.
"I have expanded capacity of my
factory gradually … I started with three
workers with limited production. Now
22 workers are working here and I have
started exporting my sharees abroad"
said Sarkar, who started her business
with Taka 20 lakh capital that has now
reached at Taka two crore.
She also thanked the women and
children affairs ministry that gave her
opportunities to participate in different
fairs even in different countries with her
products.
"The current government is very
women friendly. The government
initiatives helped me a lot to make
linkage with the local and international
markets as well," said Sarkar, who
recently opened an outlet at
Bashundhara shopping mall in the
capital. Like Sarkar, Nazma Akhter of
Godabari in Rajshahi district is another
woman entrepreneur who took training
on shoe making from BSCIC in 2007.
"After getting the training, I left my
paramedical job and set up a cottage
shoe making factory after the name of
my daughter 'Kushumkoli' with an
initial investment of Taka 20,000," said
Nazma.
Within 12 years, like a touch of magic
wand Khatun is now owner of two
export-oriented shoe factories in Savar
EPZ where 400 workers are employed.
Currently, shoes producing at
Khatun's two factories worth Taka 12-13
crore, are being exported to different
countries including Malaysia. "It's true
... now when I got to look back it seems
a fairy tale to me as well … yes I did it,
but it was not easy to reach here as a
woman. I would like to tell my other
fellow women entrepreneurs just don't
be scare …keep your courage … surely
one day you will reach your desire
destination of success," Khatun said in
an inspiring voice.
Another entrepreneur Rezbin
Hafeeza of Gaibandha, who also took
BSCIC training on shoe making, also set
up two shoe factories at Jirabo in
Ashulia and Battala in Gaibandha and
has employed 80 workers there.
"I started my business with only Taka
3.5 lakh … the BSCIC training really
helped me a lot to run the business
usefully," Hafeeza said with a
triumphant voice.
BSIC has so far empowered 9,755
women by imparting training in
different trade as well as allocating
loans while during the current fiscal
year, 301 women established
themselves as entrepreneurs with the
BSCIS support in various sectors.
BSIC chairman Mushtaq Hasan said
his organization has disbursed Taka 50
crore loan to women in the current
fiscal (FY21) while it has decided to
allocate another Taka 100 crore for
providing as loan to women in the
upcoming fiscal year 2021-22.
Hasan said initiatives have been
taken to launch various programs in the
upcoming financial year with special
emphasis on women's self-employment
through training.
BSCIC has been implementing
various initiatives with short-term,
medium-term and long-term plans to
help the government achieving
Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
by 2030 and building a prosperous
Bangladesh by 2041 through creating
10 million new entrepreneurs with 20
million job opportunities.
Hasan said a MoU has been signed
between BSCIC and Karmasangsthan
Bank to provide loan to unemployed
youths trained under the 'Bangabandhu
Youth Loan' programme marking the
birth centenary of Father of the Nation
Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur
Rahman.
Under the MoU, the BSCIC chairman
said, loans ranging from Taka 20,000
to Taka 5,00,000 are being provided to
young people, aged between 18 and 35,
who have already received business skill
training from BSIC in different trades.
Apart from these, the BSIC is setting
up its own platform for organizing small
and cottage industry fairs and online
marketing in different districts.
Shamsun Nahar Bhuiyan, a member
of the Parliamentary Standing
Committee on Labor and Employment
Ministry said under the 'Social Security
Protection Strategy Paper 2018', the
government has taken various
initiatives to involve women in the
mainstream of development.
As woman empowerment is one of
the core commitments of the current
Awami League government, Prime
Minister Sheikh Hasina formulated and
adopted the progressive 'National
Women Development Policy' in 2011
for the first time with a set of goals to
socially, economically, politically and
legally empower the women of
Bangladesh.
SunDay, June 27, 2021
4
Acting Editor & Publisher : Jobaer Alam
e-mail: editor@thebangladeshtoday.com
Sunday, June 27, 2021
Increase cotton
production locally
The export earnings of the country's readymade garments
(RMG) sector could be substantially greater if the RMG
industries could be backed up adequately by value-addition
through backward linkage activities. Presently, nearly the value of
60 per cent of foreign currencies earned through RMG export are
spent on importing raw cotton, fabric and yarn to support the RMG
industries.
But the greater value of such imports can be saved through
import substitution if raw cotton, the primary raw material for
RMG sector's linkage industries, is grown in greater quantities in
the country. Such cotton can be utilised to make yarn and fabric for
the RMG industries locally and, in that case, value addition in the
textile sector can be so much more and the amount of the country's
retained foreign exchange earnings from the textile sector should
increase spectacularly .
Raw cotton produced in the country meets only about 5 per cent
of the total demand. The rest 95 per cent are imported. Total cotton
production in the country in recent years has been about 14,000
metric tons, on average, annually. But experts are of the opinion
that total yields of cotton can be fast increased by extending cotton
cultivation in the south-western parts of the country.
Bangladesh has very suitable lands and climate for cotton
cultivation. Apart from the south-western districts of Jessore,
Kushtia, Jhenaidah and Chuadanga, no activity of the Bangladesh
Cotton Development Board (BCDB) is seen in other areas to
encourage cotton cultivation among farmers.
Many places of the country are suitable for cotton cultivation but
the potential of extending cultivation in these areas is not being
tested by BCDB though it was set up over a decade ago. But the
present worldwide scarcity of cotton and its soaring prices, has also
put into sharp focus the imperative of growing cotton within the
country to reduce import dependency for the product and find price
relief as well.
It is believed that greater activism on the part of BCDB, plus
government's incentives and support prices for cotton growing ,
can enthuse a larger number of farmers to take up cotton cultivation
as a remunerative commercial crop in between production of
foodgrains at many different parts of the country. Besides, there is
also the prospects of successfully carrying on cotton cultivation in
marginal lands which are not being farmed intensively at present
throughout the year.
Cost analysis has shown that it would even make economic sense
to release part of the good cultivable lands to grow cotton instead of
foodgrains. In that case, it might be necessary to import some
quantities of foodgrains. But the import costs of the foodgrains are
likely to be notably lower in comparison to the value added earnings
of the RMG sector through import substitution.
An action plan needs to be in place for greater production of raw
cotton in the country. To satisfy growing demand of cotton with
quality, high yielding best quality clone cotton plant has to be
imported to produce cotton in Bangladesh.
Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association
(BKMEA) says that production of raw cotton could be increased
manifold in some years from now through making up a task force
to implement an action plan . The BCDB should play the leading
role in this area.
It is possible to increase the area under cotton cultivation by
adopting profitable cotton based cropping pattern, replacing
tobacco cultivation, bringing areas of river bank and char land,
drought and saline prone areas, hill slopes and valley areas, agroforestry
system and other cropping systems under cotton
cultivation. Another practical option is to increase cotton
production by increasing per hectare yield through high yielding
modern varieties, hybrids, transgenic cotton and improved
management practices. Besides, quality seeds are the prerequisites
for better yield. Intervention of modern production technologies
can lead to increased yield of locally produced cotton to the world
average.
Cotton seed is a good source of edible oil. Sixty percent of the
harvested seed cotton is seed through which we can get huge
quantity of seed. Private ginneries produce cotton crude oil. Some of
them are used in soap industries and rest of the crude oil is refined
by refinery industry for edible purpose. The speller machine used by
the private ginneries for oil extraction can extract 10 to 18% crude
oil from cotton seeds. In Pakistan, 68% of the edible oil requirement
is fulfilled from cotton seed. India is also one of the big countries of
cotton seed oil producer. This oil contains more nutritional value
than any other edible oils like soybean, mustard oil and sunflower
oil. Like Pakistan, China and India are also good cotton oil
producers in the world. The oil cake is generally used for livestock
feeding. Cotton oil cake has high demand in the market for multiple
uses.
The cotton oil cake is a by product of cotton seed and it is
produced during oil extraction. The oil cake is generally used for
livestock feeding and fish feed. Cotton oil cake has high demand in
the market for multiple uses with high percentage of protein. Cotton
oil cake is also used as organic fertilizer like mustard oil cakes and
it is better than mustard oil cake.
Cotton stalk (after harvest) is a source of fuel /pulp/particle
board. Man height cotton plant is a good source of fuel which is
scarce in many developing countries. One hectare of land can
provide 3000-4000 kg fuel wood through which farmers can earn
extra income. India has been producing eco-friendly particle board
using cotton stalk. Latest news is our BJMC is going to install a
machine with the technical assistance of China. Good quality offset
paper will be produced by mixture of cotton stalk and jute plant
(50% cotton stalk+50% jute plant) and this is a value addition for
cotton. Cotton plants have tap root system. It takes nutrients from
the deeper part of soil. The leaves of cotton plant that fall in the soil
increase soil fertility.
BCDB has to strengthen and build a close relation with other
NARS institutions and other research organizations inside and
outside the country. Also it needs more international collaboration
with leading cotton growing countries and cotton research
institutions for developing hybrid and Bt varieties.
Power of respect and productive criticism
Iknow that I am not alone in being
aghast at some of the scenes that
have emerged on television over the
last few weeks with the state election in
West Bengal. Politics is not in my
domain, and I do not follow any political
debates. However, many of my work
colleagues and social associates have
their vested interest in some form or
shape in India, particularly West Bengal.
They talked about politics, monoculturalism,
multi-culturalism,
secularism and political dynamism in
West Bengal. I am not a political critic.
But as a member of the public, I have a
social duty to raise my voice against any
social odds.
I am always sceptical about politics,
not because it is terrible but because
political culture works in many parts of
the world. Anyone entering the political
arena needs to be ready for the dangers
that wait. For the word 'arena' is just
right; in many respects, the world they
enter has echoes of the gladiatorial
arenas of Ancient Rome. Politics has
always been a dirty business, not
because politicians are necessarily
dishonest people, but because power by
its very nature is a magnet for some who
see opportunities for wealth. Many
politicians are people of principle and
conviction, but others have less lofty
motives and have no concern for those
whose careers they damage and
destruction along the way. Instead of
wanting to serve the public or the nation,
they are self-serving and self-obsessed.
I have been watching several TV
programmes and news, talk shows and
political debates in recent weeks. To my
surprise, I am amazed to see some of the
discussions by intellectuals, mainly
academics, doctors, politicians, political
analysts, and legislators. The ways they
debate, use inappropriate words,
abusive attitude, rude outburst and
swearing exchanges, shouting each
other's, not allowing others to discuss
and try to lead the discussion is entirely
awful. The exact parallel can be drawn
concerning Bangladesh, particularly in
media appearance and communicating
and expressing our views on others. A
recent Bangladeshi TV channel's Talk
show has grabbed my attention. A
prominent Bangladeshi TV channel was
airing this talk show in which a senior
Govt. official and legislator, who is also a
prominent businessman, talked very
rudely with intimidating and abusive
manner. At one point, he made
unacceptable comments to the anchor
and calling him "stupid". Such mean
behaviour is utterly inappropriate. Such
patterns of behaviour are not an
example of a one-off incident. Instead,
this becomes the norms, habits and
routines of conducting one's behaviour.
I have often witnessed when our socalled
civil society members or
politicians express their opinions or
points of view, they only try to defend
their opinions without appropriate
justification and do not want to follow
other's thoughts. People can easily
understand their dismissive treatment
through disinterested mood or insidious
nonverbal behaviour by raising
eyebrows or making gestures. To
demonise others or opponents by
making insensitive jokes or taunting
others, patronising behaviour or
showing arrogancy becomes part and
parcel of our culture of debate or making
criticism. Making negative comments
about others or colleagues and
undermines others are just as new
normal.
The malicious and spiteful personal
attacks in public space or national
platforms are not acceptable by any
measures and are likely to get worse in
the coming weeks and speak volumes of
how corrosive and hateful parts of our
society have become. It seems that
rather than respecting the fact that
others hold a different opinion, it is now
acceptable to set about savaging them.
What message does this send out to the
young? The very people who purport to
be champions of free speech and liberal
values seem to imbibe a poison that is
eating away at the fabric of society. Such
behaviour and attitudes need to be
addressed as a matter of urgency. We
need a more enlightened society, one
that endeavours to lift people rather
than generalising and label them.
We all have the right to express our
opinion as it is well protected and
respected in many developed societies. I
firmly believe that everyone's personal
views should be respected and should
not be threatened. However, we should
realise that there is a clear distinction
between what we say and how we say,
our conduct, not the content. Our
behaviour should be in line with societal
moral, rules and parameters. If our
freedom of expression or activities
causes severe disorder, violence and
goes against societal values, creates
disharmony, this will be seen as a misuse
of liberty, unlawful. Our freedom of
expression can be challenged and
restricted by the authorities. We all have
the right to speak. However, if we enjoy
the essence of human rights, we must
also take responsibilities for human
wrongs. This is when we get moral
justice. Free debate, good actions,
convincing arguments are essential to
counter hatred, prejudices, and
inequality in society.
The recent events in West Bengal,
India, are a great reminder of our moral
and societal obligation. Whatever
happened to social distancing? Those
who claim to care about the public
suffering from COVID-19 are now out
behaviour thorough irresponsibly,
potentially endangering lives. What we
DR P R DaTTa
are witnessing is not a legitimate victory
parade; it is verging on anarchy.
Unsavoury elements are seeking to
exploit legitimate hurt and direct it at
others. I was appalled to see that the
mobs heavily beat an 80-year-old
mother. What has been happening is
truly scary and deeply disturbing.
However, this is not part of my
discussion; instead, my focus is on
abusive behaviour toward others.
Dreadful things are happening across
the world, and not only in West Bengal.
We could all do with finding out what is
happening elsewhere, not in the media,
The malicious and spiteful personal attacks in public
space or national platforms are not acceptable by any
measures and are likely to get worse in the coming weeks
and speak volumes of how corrosive and hateful parts of
our society have become. It seems that rather than
respecting the fact that others hold a different opinion, it
is now acceptable to set about savaging them.
educating ourselves, and then finding a
constructive way to do something
positive about it. We can make a
difference. Let us make it a positive one.
We need respect, understanding and
love. At this time, I would ask where the
love is? I find myself wondering what we
are doing to inspire the young. Are we
encouraging them to think for
themselves? Are we helping them to
learn to seek new knowledge? Have we
provided them with the compass to
navigate their way to the wisdom of the
past?
Some people in our society are very
corrosive, greedy, dishonest and selfish.
Power is abused at every stage of our
national life, a thousand time a day by
some individuals. As a member of civil
society, we always forget that we have a
civic duty to create a harmonise and
inclusive community based on the
premise of zero tolerance of bullying,
injustices, and abusive disrespectful
behaviours. We all must work
assiduously in developing young
people's self-esteem, level of confidence,
and moral character. Behavioural code
of practices, principles and norms
should be established so that we all can
follow them to ensure power is not
abused. Members of civil society,
politicians, educators, doctors, artists,
experts, and industry leaders should
take bold steps to ensure they have a
respectful attitude towards others with a
calm, tolerant, and sincere mindset.
Often, we see people interrupting during
the discussion, disregards other's
opinion, showing disinterest with
dismissive treatment or insidious nonverbal
behaviour, appearing dull during
debate on others. These should be
avoided to make the discussion
productive and fruitful.
In many TV talk shows or debate
sessions, people like to show mood
matching behaviour. Shouting against
shouting, anger against anger,
intimidation against intimidation, if
DR. John C. hulSman
someone disrespect, others follow the
same patterns. This type of behaviour
will not help to solve many challenging
issues we are facing within a society.
Such behaviours can cause serious
problems not only to the opponents, but
it has severe societal consequences.
During the discussion, it can create a
hostile and unhealthy environment in
which individuals' contribution can be
reduced and undermines morale.
Therefore, all concerned institutions,
including Government, private and non-
Governmental entities at all local and
national level, must create a behavioural
code of conduct to enhance interrelationships
and collaborations
between colleagues and others. Zero
tolerance policies should be applied
against any misbehaviour through
appropriate enforcement mechanisms.
To ensure the environment is inclusive
and friendly, intervention policy is
essential as required to address such
behaviours regardless of the offender's
societal status, position, wealth,
popularity and connections.
Enforcement consistency should have
adhered to so that it will be widely
accepted by society.
When we criticise others, we should
have the courage to make positive and
constructive criticism rather than
making negative and fault-finding
feedback. It is not right to state what is
wrong or intentionally demonising
others. Constructive criticism should
come with suggesting appropriate
avenues for improvements. Such type of
criticism not only helping individuals
reflect on their mistakes and learn about
the areas of improvements. If criticisms
come with specific personal interest or
motivation such as displaying own's
superiority, demonising others,
degrading or humiliating, such criticism
will not be taken seriously or will cause
harm. Therefore, criticism must be
friendly, helpful and respectful.
However, society is such abrasive that
constructive criticism is unknown to
many. When criticism provides in an
impersonal and respectful fashion
without any personal attack, it offers
adequate support for others.
Contemptuous criticism is unhealthy for
personal growth and societal values.
Respect comes with openness,
appreciation, honesty and a tenacious
mindset, and such a person is always
calm and does not lose their temper in
any situational context. Such disposition
is an essential human character, and
society benefits from such values. Albert
Einstein asserted this notion with the
following quote "I speak to everyone in
the same way whether he is the garbage
man or the president of the University".
Very profound and powerful statement
that shown equality and great respect to
others. A great human character. When
people respect others, they cannot talk
bad things, demonise or underestimates
others.
The Writer is Executive Chair,
Centre for Business & Economic
Research, UK
Ghastly election of Raisi portends a darkening Middle East
While the uncomprehending Biden
administration may greet last
week's Iranian election with a
shrug - noting that Supreme Leader Ali
Khamenei has the lion's share of the power
anyway - the elevation of Ebrahim Raisi to
the presidency actually has significant and
far-reaching consequences. Sadly, almost
all of them point to darkening days for a
region desperately in need of sunlight.
Rather than myopically focusing on the
details of the election just passed, political
risk analysis impels us to look more
broadly at what the result actually means.
First, as the Greek philosopher Heraclitus
put it so well: "Character is destiny." In
Raisi's case, his future course can be clearly
seen by looking at his striking biography.
Raisi came to prominence early, as a firebreathing
prosecutor in the late 1980s,
when at the age of just 27 he served on
what became known as the "death
commission" in Tehran. In 1988, this panel
oversaw a series of mass trials that led to
the execution of between 5,000 and
30,000 regime dissidents in the wake of
the brutal Iraq-Iran war. Moving up, since
2019, Raisi has served as the country's
chief justice. It was in his current role that
Raisi advocated impunity for Iranian
officials and security forces accused of
killing protesters during the mass unrest in
the country in 2019.
Throughout his career, Raisi has been
the hardest of hard-liners. His personal
fealty to Khamenei is well documented. In
fact, it is widely expected that Raisi's
elevation to the presidency (he is just 60) is
but a stepping stone to his succession as
supreme leader as Khamenei's chosen
successor (he is 82). Such an outcome has
historical precedent, as this was precisely
how Khamenei himself came to supreme
power following the death of Ayatollah
Khomeini in 1989. In other words, in
political risk terms this was not just
another election; rather it was Iran's
succession plan put into practice.
Second, Raisi's elevation means that the
old, tired argument that Iran's "moderates"
can be supported by the West from outside
the country has at last definitively been
proven false. With Raisi as president, hardliners
control all of Iran's state institutions
and levers of power. There simply can no
longer be any doubt that a revolutionary,
hard-line Iranian policy agenda is what the
world is facing.
There can no longer be any doubt that a
revolutionary, hard-line Iranian policy
agenda is what the world is facing.
Third, Iran's economy is a mess and
Raisi has no domestic answers as to how to
salvage it. Following Donald Trump's
highly effective sanctions campaign of
"maximum pressure," Iran's economy
nosedived by 4.8 percent in 2018 and a
further 9.5 percent in 2019. Oil exports, the
lifeblood of the Iranian economy, dipped
from 2.3 million barrels per day in 2018 to
just 1 million in 2019. At the same time,
according to the International Monetary
Fund, raging inflation is set to increase
from an already stratospheric 36.5 percent
in 2020 to 39 percent this year.
Fourth, all of this economic woe means
Tehran will be looking outside its borders
to find a way to somehow right the ship of
state. Only by both quickly reinstating the
nuclear deal with the West and courting
Second, Raisi's elevation means that the old, tired argument that
Iran's "moderates" can be supported by the West from outside the
country has at last definitively been proven false. With Raisi as president,
hard-liners control all of Iran's state institutions and levers of
power. There simply can no longer be any doubt that a revolutionary,
hard-line Iranian policy agenda is what the world is facing.
new ally China can Raisi and the other
hard-liners hope to keep the economic wolf
from the door. With Iran having entered
into a new, anti-American, strategic
alliance with Beijing, look for Raisi to try to
quickly expand ties with a rising China,
which is keen to find long-term sources of
energy for its ever-expanding economy.
Fifth, due to all this, look for the Joint
Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) to
be quickly renewed between Tehran and
the West. Raisi has said he grudgingly
supports the renewal of the JCPOA "as
long as it serves Iran's interests." A deal is
likely to come about sooner rather than
later, potentially before the official
handover of power in Iran in August, as
this would suit the domestic political
interests of the outgoing Rouhani
government (looking for a historical
legacy), the incoming Raisi government
(which doesn't want to get its hands dirty
negotiating with the Americans), and the
impatient Biden administration (that is
eager to lock down a deal so it can pivot to
the Indo-Pacific).
Sixth, such a deal will amount to a
diplomatic disaster, as it will be a strategic
capitulation entirely on Iran's terms. It will
let Tehran off the economic hook; as Raisi
put it, "The US is obliged to lift all
oppressive sanctions against Iran." Raisi
went on to say that he wouldn't bow to
international calls for a broader discussion
(as the Biden White House has been
pushing) about the development of Iran's
highly advanced ballistic missile program
or its fervent support for terrorist and
militia groups across the region (in Yemen,
Iraq, Syria and Lebanon), saying these
were "non-negotiable" issues.
If this is so, and there is every reason to
believe Raisi means what he says, the
Biden administration's efforts to make Iran
"a more normal" regional power have just
gone up in smoke. Instead, while
conceding nothing new, Iran will see its
coffers replenished, fortified by an
unthinking White House, as its
expansionist regional policy is given new
life.
Americans like to say "elections have
consequences." Unfortunately for the rest
of the world, the political rise of Raisi may
well prove to be disastrously
consequential.
Dr. John C. Hulsman is the president
and managing partner of John C.
Hulsman Enterprises, a prominent
global political risk consulting firm. He
is also senior columnist for City AM, the
newspaper of the City of London. He
can be contacted via
chartwellspeakers.com.
SunDay, June 27, 2021
5
The pioneering black ballerinas
an artist's impression of the Chicxulub crater shortly after it was created by an impact from
space.
Photo: Detlev van ravenswaay
A crater’s age may reveal why
dinosaur became extinct
beCKy Ferreira
Some 65 million years ago, a rock from
outer space slammed into Earth,
wreaking havoc on life in its wake and
leaving a large crater on our planet's
surface.
No, it's not the one you're thinking of.
Boltysh crater, a 15-mile-wide formation
in central Ukraine, may not be as famous
as the Chicxulub crater under the
Yucatán Peninsula in Mexico, which is
directly implicated in the death of the
dinosaurs and many other species about
66 million years ago. Nevertheless,
Boltysh has long led to debate among
scientists. Some have suggested that the
crater, which is buried under more than
1,000 feet of sediment, could have
formed before or after the Chicxulub
event, making its role in this cataclysmic
period unclear.
Now, a team led by Annemarie
Pickersgill, a research associate at the
University of Glasgow, estimates that
Boltysh formed about 650,000 years
after the Chicxulub catastrophe. The
refined age has implications for
understanding how Boltysh affected this
tumultuous time, and can shed light on
our own era of sudden climate change.
For a study published on Friday in
Science Advances, the researchers
performed a technique known as argonargon
dating with rocks extracted from
Boltysh. They also analyzed specimens
from a geological layer in Montana, the
K-Pg boundary, that marks the dramatic
transition wrought by the Chicxulub
impact. This comparative approach,
along with advances in radiometric
dating methods, yielded a more refined
sequence of events than previous studies.
"It's the first comparison of Boltysh
samples directly to K-Pg boundary
samples," Dr. Pickersgill said. "Because
we analyzed everything under the same
experimental conditions, we could
neglect a lot of the uncertainties that we
would get if, say, one lab had analyzed the
K-Pg boundary and a different lab had
analyzed Boltysh."
The new age estimate places Boltysh
about a half-million years after the
dinosaur-killing asteroid, contradicting
the conclusions of a 2010 study in
Geology that dated it to a few thousand
years before Chicxulub. The researchers
who wrote that paper embraced the new
findings, and some became co-authors of
Dr. Pickersgill's study.
"The guys who did the previous work,
who ended up being my collaborators, are
really good scientists," she said. "When I
came up with an answer that apparently
conflicted with their results, I was
surprised and somewhat alarmed. But we
double-checked everything and the data
is what it is."
"It was a very nice science experience
for me because they were so happy to
adopt the new hypothesis and come up
with new interpretations," she added.
For years, scientists speculated that the
Boltysh and Chicxulub impactors may
have acted as a one-two punch that
shattered life at the end of the Cretaceous
period. The revised age suggests that the
impact that made the Ukrainian crater
did not factor into the apocalyptic die-off
of the dinosaurs, though it may have
interfered with the recovery from the
mass extinction.
Dr. Pickersgill's team raises the
possibility that Boltysh could be linked to
a warming event, called the lower C29N
hyperthermal, which occurred around
the same time, though confirming that
relationship would require more
substantial evidence.
Sean Gulick, a geophysicist at the
University of Texas at Austin, said that
the new age for Boltysh appeared sound,
but that he doubted the impact had any
connection to the coincident
hyperthermal or the pace of recovery
from the extinction.
"This is an important study" that can
help "unravel this question about
whether smaller events have had major
climate effects or not," Dr. Gulick said.
"I think in this case, the evidence would
be that it didn't, necessarily," he added.
"But the only way we can figure that out is
if you get these really precise dates."
Pinpointing these connections not only
opens a window into Earth's ancient
history, but it can also help us prepare for
modern human-driven climate change.
"Many of my colleagues are
paleoclimatologists - they're studying the
effects of climate in the past - and the
reason they're doing that is out of
nerdiness, but also to understand what's
happening to the climate right now," Dr.
Pickersgill said.
Ken Amor, a geochemist at the
University of Oxford, also emphasized
the importance of assessing the risk of
Boltysh-scale impactors striking Earth.
Chicxulub-level impacts appear to be
extremely rare "Black Swan events," he
said, but our planet is vulnerable to
smaller objects, like the roughly onemile-wide
impactor that produced
Boltysh.
"Something like that falling on London
or Paris or somewhere would just totally
wipe it out," Dr. Amor said. "The chances
of that happening on human time scales
is quite small, but there does always
remain that possibility."
He added that one way to build on the
new study was to collect more samples
from Boltysh and other impact craters to
further refine their ages and the
properties of the objects that created
them. Dr. Pickersgill would be happy to
contribute. "I always need more rocks,"
she said.
Karen Valby
Last May, adrift in a suddenly
untethered world, five former ballerinas
came together to form the 152nd Street
Black Ballet Legacy. Every Tuesday
afternoon, they logged onto Zoom from
around the country to remember their
time together performing with Dance
Theater of Harlem, feeling that magical
turn in early audiences from skepticism
to awe.
Life as a pioneer, life in a pandemic:
They have been friends for over half a
century, and have held each other up
through far harder times than this last
disorienting year. When people reached
for all manners of comfort, something to
give purpose or a shape to the days, these
five women turned to their shared past.
In their cozy, rambling weekly Zoom
meetings, punctuated by peals of
laughter and occasional tears, they
revisited the fabulousness of their
former lives. With the background of
George Floyd's murder and a pandemic
disproportionately affecting the Black
community, the women set their sights
on tackling another injustice. They
wanted to reinscribe the struggles and
feats of those early years at Dance
Theater of Harlem into a cultural
narrative that seems so often to cast
Black excellence aside.
"There's been so much of African
American history that's been denied or
pushed to the back," said Karlya
Shelton-Benjamin, 64, who first brought
the idea of a legacy council to the other
women. "We have to have a voice."
They knew as young ballet students
that they'd never be chosen for roles like
Clara in "The Nutcracker" or
Odette/Odile in "Swan Lake." They were
told by their teachers to switch to
modern dance or to aim for the Alvin
Dance Theater of Harlem, around 1970.
Ailey company if they wanted to dance
professionally, regardless of whether
they felt most alive en pointe.
Arthur Mitchell was like a lighthouse
to the women. Mitchell, the first Black
principal dancer at the New York City
Ballet and a protégé of the
choreographer George Balanchine, had
a mission: to create a home for Black
dancers to achieve heights of excellence
unencumbered by ignorance or
tradition. Ignited by the assassination of
the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., he
founded Dance Theater of Harlem in
1969 with Karel Shook.
Lydia Abarca-Mitchell, Gayle
McKinney-Griffith and Sheila Rohan
were founding dancers of his new
company with McKinney-Griffith, 71,
soon taking on the role of its first ballet
mistress. Within the decade, Shelton-
Benjamin and Marcia Sells joined as first
generation dancers.
Abarca-Mitchell, 70, spent her
childhood in joyless ballet classes but
never saw an actual performance until
she was 17 at the invitation of Mitchell,
her new teacher. "I'll never forget what
Arthur did onstage" she said of his Puck
in "A Midsummer Night's Dream" at
New York City Ballet during a Tuesday
session in January. "He made the ballet
so natural. Suddenly it wasn't just this
ethereal thing anymore. I felt it in my
bones."
Marcia Sells, 61, remembered being 9
and watching with mouth agape when
Abarca-Mitchell, McKinney-Griffith and
Rohan performed with Dance Theater in
her hometown, Cincinnati. "There in
front of me were Black ballerinas," Sells
said during a video call in April. "That
moment was the difference in my life.
Otherwise I don't think it would've been
possible for me to think of a career in
ballet."
Shelton-Benjamin left her Denver
ballet company, where she was the only
Black dancer, turning down invitations
from the Joffrey Ballet and American
Ballet Theater, after reading a story
about Dance Theater of Harlem in
Dance magazine. Abarca-Mitchell was
on that issue's cover - the first Black
woman to have that honor. At her
Harlem audition, Shelton-Benjamin
witnessed company members handdying
their shoes and ribbons and tights
to match the hues of their skin. Here, no
traditional ballet pink would interrupt
the beauty of their lines. "I had never
seen a Black ballerina before, let alone a
whole company," Shelton-Benjamin, 64,
said during a February Zoom meeting.
"All I could think was, 'Where have you
guys been?'"
Finding one another back then, at the
height of the civil rights movement,
allowed them to have careers while
challenging a ballet culture that had
been claimed by white people. "We were
suddenly ambassadors," Abarca-
Mitchell said. "And we were all in it
together."
They traveled to American cities that
presented such a hostile environment
that Mitchell would cancel the
performance the night of, lest his
company feel disrespected. But they also
danced for kings and queens and
presidents. In 1979, a review in The
Washington Post declared their dancing
to be a "purer realization of the
Balanchinean ideal than anyone else's."
Their adventures offstage were similarly
electric, like the night in Manchester
when Mick Jagger invited them out on
the town. "We walked into the club with
him and everybody just moved out of the
way," Shelton-Benjamin said.
Photo: Collected
KaTe MaSur
For two and a half centuries, starting
long before the establishment of the
United States, people of African
descent fought against slavery every
way they could. Americans legally
bought and sold Black people as
property, and enslaved status passed
through generations, from mothers
to their children.
It took a deadly civil war, at a cost of
more than 650,000 lives, to rid the
United States of that institution. To
commemorate Juneteenth - now
established as a national holiday on
June 19 - is to recognize the
importance of slavery in United
States history, to remember the
horrors of bondage and the jubilation
of freedom.
Yet abolishing slavery was only one
piece of a complex puzzle. It marked
an ending, confirmed on Dec. 6,
1865, with ratification of the 13th
Amendment. But it was also part of a
much longer struggle to secure for
Black Americans the rights and
privileges promised to white
Americans, a struggle that began
long before Juneteenth and endures
today.
For decades before the Civil War,
Black Northerners and their white
allies fought to rid their
communities, and the nation, not
only of slavery but of racist laws and
institutions.
At the time of the American
Revolution, slavery was legal
throughout the British North
American colonies. Though
Northern states, starting with
Vermont in 1777, gradually abolished
slavery, many subjected free Black
people to discriminatory regulations.
Over time, the white Northerners
who supported such measures
insisted that newly freed people were
Juneteenth and its legacy
poor and therefore likely to become
criminals or public charges, or that
Black people were racially inferior, or
that the United States was destined
to be a white nation - or some
combination of all those ideas.
Those views were enshrined in laws
in the Midwest, where newly
admitted states, starting with Ohio in
1803, imposed special residency
requirements on free Black people,
barred their children from public
schools, forbade them from testifying
in court cases involving whites, and
prohibited Black men from voting.
Black Americans mobilized against
those laws. In Ohio and elsewhere,
they were a minority of the statewide
population and recognized that they
needed white supporters if the
discriminatory laws were to be
repealed. They held meetings,
organized petition drives and issued
addresses to the white citizens of
their states.
In the Northeast, Black sailors who
had been unjustly incarcerated while
their ships were in Southern ports
told their stories to sympathetic
whites, who in turn pushed the
legislatures of Massachusetts and
New York to provide funding for
rescuing Black Northerners from
Southern prisons. In the early 1840s,
Black and white Americans
petitioned Congress to secure for free
Black sailors basic rights to pursue
their livelihoods, to move freely and
to the presumption of innocence.
Congress did not act. In fact, when
Congress did pass legislation that
involved the rights of free Black
Americans, it was the oppressive
a contemporary depiction of viewers of the statue "The Freed Slave,"
on view at the Centennial exhibition in Philadelphia in 1876.
Photo: Getty images
Fugitive Slave Act of 1850, which
made free Black Northerners more
vulnerable than ever to kidnapping
and enslavement. The Northern
struggle made clear that abolishing
slavery would not, on its own, lead to
justice or even basic fairness for free
Black Americans.
In October 1864, just before
President Abraham Lincoln was
elected to a second term, a large
group of Black activists met in
Syracuse, N.Y. Many had been
writing, speaking and working for
racial justice for decades. Most were
from the free states, but a handful
made the trip from slave states like
Tennessee, Virginia and Florida.
In an "Address to the American
People," the convention insisted that
the nation must not only abolish
slavery but erase "from its statutebooks
all enactments discriminating
in favor or against any class of its
people" and establish "one law for the
white and colored people alike." The
vote, the delegates insisted, was "the
keystone in the arch of human
liberty" without which "the whole
may at any moment fall to the
ground."
The Syracuse meeting also had a
practical vision. It founded a
National Equal Rights League to
demand "a recognition" of Black
Americans' rights as citizens of the
United States. Northern and
Southern delegates returned home to
start their own branches. In fall 1865,
George T. Downing of Rhode Island,
who attended the Syracuse meeting,
led an effort to send Black lobbyists
to Washington to push for federal
legislation that would affirm the
principle of racial equality.
Republicans in Congress were
ready. Some had been involved in
prewar Northern struggles for racial
equality. Others recognized that the
nation was at a crossroads and that
abolition would mean little without
federal protections for Black
Americans.
The Congress that met in 1865-66
adopted the nation's first civil rights
statute, the Civil Rights Act of 1866,
and the 14th Amendment. These
measures passed despite fullthroated
Democratic opposition,
including charges - so familiar today
- that the new policies interfered with
the prerogatives of the states and
gave Black Americans unfair
advantages over whites.
Juneteenth, then, should serve not
only to remind us of the joy and relief
that accompanied the end of slavery,
but also of the unfinished work of
confronting slavery's legacy. Thanks
to the efforts of generations of
activists, laws that explicitly
discriminate based on race are a
thing of the past. But today's
conservatives echo their 19thcentury
predecessors when they
justify federal inaction on voting
rights with arguments about states'
rights and spurious claims of
electoral corruption. These
arguments join a growing attack on
the teaching of American history
itself.
Americans need to understand that
the original Constitution, which
protected slavery while providing few
federal safeguards for individual
rights, did not create a path toward
abolition or racial equality. To the
contrary, before and after
Juneteenth, it was Black people and
their white allies who fought to
eradicate the racist legacies of slavery
and who demanded that the federal
government take action to protect
the rights of all.
SuNDAY, JuNE 2, 2021
6
A day-long captivating kite flying competition was held at Bilbalia village of Mahadan union in
Sarishabari of Jamalpur on Saturday to revive the ancient culture and tradition. Instant prizes
are handed over to the winners in each round. Photo : M.A Rouf,Sarishabari (jamalpur)
Three die, 128 more
test positive for
COVID-19 in Noakhali
NOAKHALI : A total of 128
more people were tested
positive for Covid-19 in the
last 24 hours in the district
after testing 442 samples at
Abdul Malek Ukil Medical
College COVID-19
laboratory and Noakhali
Science and Technology
University rapid antigen
testing centers, reports BSS.
The infection rate is about
28.96 percent in the district,
said civil surgeon of the
district Dr Md Masum
Iftakhor.
Of the total positive cases,
54 are in Sadar upazila, 23 in
Companiganj upazila, 19 in
Begumganj upazila, 13 in
Kabirhat upazila, eight in
Sonaimuri upazila, four in
Senbagh upazila, three in
Suborno Char upazila, two
in Chatkhil upazila and two
in Hatiya upazila of the
district, civil surgeon Dr
Iftakhor, told BSS yesterday
afternoon.
Meanwhile, three people
have died with coronavirus
infection in the last 24 hours
in the district. The total
number of infected people in
the district stood at 10,813
while the recovery count
rose to 7,410 in the district,
the civil surgeon said.
Rezaul gives importance
on research for
development of country
DHAKA : Fisheries and
Livestock Minister SM
Rezaul Karim yesterday laid
importance on conducting
research works for the
overall development of the
country, reports BSS.
"Research is essential for
the development of the
country," said the minister
while addressing a
workshop on 'Inception,
Progress and Review of
Poultry Research and
Development Strengthening
Project' being implemented
by Bangladesh Livestock
Research Institute (BLRI) at
a city hotel as the chief guest.
He added that the
livestock sector has an
opportunity to play a huge
role in the development and
prosperity of the country.
9 more die, 362 test positive for
Covid-19 afresh in Rajshahi
RAJSHAHI : A total of 362 more people
have tested positive for Covid-19 in seven
districts of the division on Friday, raising the
division's Covid caseload to 51,917.
With nine more fatalities from the disease
reported afresh on the day, the death toll
reached 809, including 369 in Bogura and
145 in Rajshahi with 82 in its city, said Dr
Habibul Ahsan Talukder, divisional director
of Health.
The new daily infection figure shows a
significant declining trend compared to the
previous day's figure of 871, said the health
department sources.
Among the infected people, 37,190 have, so
far, been cured from the lethal virus with 196
new recoveries reported on Friday.
A total of 5,439 infected patients are now
undergoing treatment at different
designated hospitals here.
Besides, all the positive cases for Covid-19
have, so far, been brought under necessary
treatment while 11,549 were kept in isolation
units of different hospitals for institutional
supervision.
Of them, 8,371 have by now been released.
On the other hand, 93 more people have
been sent to home and institutional
quarantine afresh while 173 others were
KHULNA : A total of 848 more people
have tested positive for Covid-19 in all 10
districts of the division in the last 24
hours till 8 am on Saturday, climbing the
number of infected patients to 50,965,
sources said.
A number of 14 more fatalities were
reported afresh during the time in the
division, said Dr Rasheda Sultana,
divisional director of Health.
With the new fatalities, the death toll
from the disease reaches 953.
Among the deaths, the highest 235 are
in Khulna, followed by 185 in Kustia, 129
in Jashore, 82 in Chuadanga, 81 in
Jhenidah, 74 in Bagerhat, 66 in Satkhira,
40 in Meherpur, 36 in Narail and 25 in
Magura, Dr Sultana said.
The new daily infection figure shows a
decrease compared to the previous day's
figure of 1,322, said the health
department sources.
"Among the infected people, 36,125
have, so far, been cured from the lethal
virus with 203 new recoveries found
Saturday morning," said Dr Sultana,
adding that a total of 6,447 infected
patients are now undergoing treatment
released from isolation during the last 24
hours till 8 am yesterday.
Of the total new positive cases, the highest
171 were detected in Rajshahi, including 157
in its city, followed by 56 in Bogura, 43 in
Pabna, 40 in Chapainawabganj, 39 in
Sirajganj, seven in Joypurhat and six in
Naogaon districts.
With the newly detected patients, the
district-wise break-up of the total cases now
stands at 16,002 in Rajshahi, including
12,988 in its city, 3,940 in Chapainawabganj,
4,122 in Naogaon, 3,171 in Natore, 3,122 in
Joypurhat, 13,332 in Bogura, 4,223 in
Sirajganj and 4,005 in Pabna.
A total of 81,844 people have, so far, been
kept under quarantine since March 10 last
year to prevent the community transmission
of the deadly coronavirus (COVID-19).
Of them, 74,923 have, by now, been
released as they were given clearance
certificates after completing their respective
14-day quarantine period.
Meanwhile, the surge of Covid-19 cases has
been continuing in all eight districts of the
division since the very beginning of the
second wave making the division a hotspot of
the deadly virus.
14 die, 848 more covid-19 positive
in Khulna division
at different designated hospitals here.
Besides, all the positive cases for
Covid-19 have, so far, been brought
under necessary treatment while 51,254
were kept in isolation units of different
hospitals for institutional supervision.
Of them, 36,861 have been released so
far.
On the other hand, 523 more people
have been sent to home and institutional
quarantine afresh while 521 others were
released from isolation during the last 24
hours.
Of the total new positive cases, the
highest 470 were detected in Jashore,
followed by 172 in Khulna, 77 in Kustia,
43 in Satkhira, 24 Chuadanga, 16 in
Meherpur, 15 in Bagerhat, 14 Jhenidha,
nine in Narail and eight in Magura in the
division.
With the new detected patients, the
district-wise break-up of the total case
now stands at 14,333 in Khulna, 11,190
in Jashore, 6,989 in Kustia, 3,904 in
Jhenidah, 3,220 in Satkhira, 2,977 in
Chuadanga, 2,882 in Bagerhat, 2,470
in Narail, 1,556 Meherpur and Magura
1,436.
In the ongoing corona epidemic lockdown, it has been accused of teaching English privately in
various educational institutions, charging extra free and salary in the name of assignment in
Begumganj of Noakhali.
Photo : Manik Bhuiyan
42 more test
positive for
Covid-19 in
Mymensingh
MYMENSINGH : A number
of 42 persons have tested
positive for Covid-19 in last
24 hours, raising the total
infection to 7337 in the
district.
Some 42 more people
were detected Covid-19
positive after testing 349
samples in Mymensingh
Medical College Hospital
(MMCH) along with Upazila
Health Complex during the
time, Civil Surgeon Office
sources said.
A number of 81 people so
far died of Covid 19 as 6655
infected patients have been
cured.
Besides, a total of 77407
samples have been collected
and 77343 were tested so far.
Some 12 Covid patients
are now undergoing
treatment in Intensive Care
Unit (ICU) and 185 are in
Covid unit of MMCH,
sources added.
300 more distressed
people get PM's
gift in Rajshahi
RAJSHAHI : A total of 300
more distressed and lessincome
people including tailor,
rickshaw-puller and
transgender hardest-hit by the
Covid-19 pandemic were given
financial assistance as gift of
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
Each of them was given Taka
1,000 in cash at a simple
ceremony yesterday.
On behalf of the Prime
Minister, district administration
distributed the amount at a
function on Shilpakala Academy
premises through maintaining
health rules to tackle the Covid-
19 spread.
Deputy Commissioner Abdul
Jalil handed over the gift as the
chief guest.
Additional Deputy
Commissioners Nazrul Islam
and Shariful Haque and District
Relief and Rehabilitation Officer
Aminul Haque were present on
the occasion.
Speaking on the occasion,
Abdul Jalil said the government
under the dynamic and
visionary leadership of Prime
Minister Sheikh Hasina
remained beside the public in
general.
Banaripara police administration takes
exceptional steps to deter adolescents
and youth from immoral activities
S Mizanul Islam, Banaripara (Barisal)
Correspondent: The police administration
has taken exceptional steps to prevent
teenagers and youths from engaging in
immoral activities in Banaripara. In this
regard, teenagers and young people in the
area have started to be endangered by
watching various games and pornography
on Android phones. In order to stop them
from committing immoral acts, OC Md.
Helal Uddin seized Android mobile phones
of more than one and a half hundred
teenagers and youths from different areas
including Banaripara municipal town and
Sadar Union for the last few days. Later, the
teenagers and youths were brought to the
police station along with their guardians.
OC Helal Uddin discussed the evils of eveteasing,
drugs, terrorism-militancy, games
and pornography. He also instructed the
parents to play their key role in guiding and
taking care of the children. Later, the
teenagers and youths were released on bond
with their parents.
In this context, Banaripara police OC said.
Helal Uddin said that awareness counseling
has been done by bringing the teenagers to
the police station to get them back on track.
As a result, they have promised not to use
Android mobile phones in the future. He also
said that after the opening of educational
institutions, he would hold awareness
meetings for students in every school, college
and madrasa
A doa mahfil and discussion meeting were held in Gaibandha remembering
the late people of Prabin Haitashi Sangha of Gaibandh. Photo : Rafiqul Islam
Covid-19 cases rapidly cross
24,000 in Rangpur division
RANGPUR : The number of
coronavirus (Covid-19) cases
has rapidly crossed the
24,000 mark with diagnosis
of 275 afresh in Rangpur
division where the positivity
rate continues rising in recent
weeks.
Health officials said the
number of Covid-19 cases
quickly climbed to 24,073 as
275 more patients were
reported after testing 1,018
samples of the division with
the positivity rate of 27.01
percent on Friday.
Earlier, the daily positivity
rates were 41.74 percent on
Thursday, 37.85 percent on
Wednesday, 35.95 percent on
Tuesday, 34.58 on Monday,
38.94 percent on Sunday and
35.20 percent on Saturday
last in the division.
The district-wise break up
of total 24,073 patients
stands at 5,672 in Rangpur,
966 in Panchagarh, 1,757 in
Nilphamari, 1,343 in
Lalmonirhat, 1,575 in
Kurigram, 2,849 in
Thakurgaon, 7,947 in
Dinajpur and 1,964 in
Gaibandha of the division.
"The positivity rate
continues rising with an
increasing number of deaths
amid a declining recovery
rate in the division," said
Focal Person of Covid-19 and
Assistant Director (Health)
for Rangpur division Dr ZA
Siddiqui.
Meanwhile, four more
Covid-19 related deaths were
reported from Rangpur,
Lalmonirhat, Thakurgaon
and Dinajpur on Friday
raising the number of
casualties to 487 in the
division.
The district-wise break up
of the 487 fatalities stands at
109 in Rangpur, 176 in
Dinajpur, 70 in Thakurgaon,
38 in Nilphamari, 27 in
Kurigram, 22 in Panchagarh,
23 in Gaibandha and 22 in
Lalmonirhat districts of the
division.
"The average casualty rate
currently stands at 2.02
percent in the division," Dr
Siddiqui added.
Talking to BSS, Acting
Divisional Director (Health)
Dr Abu Md Zakirul Islam said
a total of 1,49,769 collected
samples were tested till
Friday, and of them, 24,073
were found Covid-19 positive
with an average positivity
rate of 16.07 percent.
Meanwhile, the total
number of healed Covid-19
patients reached 19,296 with
recovery of 132 more infected
patients on Friday in the
division where the average
recovery rate currently stands
at 80.16 percent.
"The average recovery rate
of Covid-19 infected patients
was 97.55 percent more than
three months ago on March 9
last in the division where it
sharply dropped by 17.39
percent to 80.16 on Friday,"
Dr Islam said.
The 19,296 recovered
patients included 4,962 of
Rangpur, 827 of Panchagarh,
1,588 of Nilphamari, 1,122 of
Lalmonirhat, 1,258 of
Kurigram, 1,722 of
Thakurgaon, 6,033 of
Dinajpur and 1,784 of
Gaibandha districts in the
division.
Among the 24,073 infected
patients, 285 are undergoing
treatment at isolation units,
including 23 critical patients
at ICU beds and 11 at High
Dependency Unit beds, after
recovery of 19,296 patients
and 487 deaths while 4,216
are remaining in home
isolation.
Strict restrictions witnessed in various places in Jashore's Bagharpara to prevent
corona infection. All shops are closed from 8 am to 12 noon except for raw
and drug stores. The upazila administration and the police have been very
active in enforcing the ban.
Photo : Shahid Joy
Australia's largest city entered a two-week lockdown on Saturday to contain a sudden Covid
surge, but several European nations lifted restrictions despite the global spread of a highly contagious
form of the disease.
Photo : AP
Australia battles Delta Covid surge
as Europe eases restrictions
SYDNEY : Australia's largest city entered
a two-week lockdown on Saturday to
contain a sudden Covid surge, but several
European nations lifted restrictions
despite the global spread of a highly
contagious form of the disease.
While vaccination drives have brought
down infections in numerous-mostly
wealthy-countries, the rise of the Delta
variant which first emerged in India has
stoked fears of new waves of a virus that
has already killed nearly four million
people.
Sydney's normally bustling
harbourside centre was nearly deserted
after the lockdown took effect at
midnight, a shock for a city that had
returned to relative normality after
months with very few cases.
The new restrictions apply to some five
million people across Sydney in addition
to other nearby population centres.
"The Delta variant is proving to be a
very formidable foe," said Brad Hazzard,
the health minister for New South Wales
Death toll in Florida collapse
rises to 4; 159 still missing
SUNFSIDE : With nearly
160 people unaccounted for
and at least four dead after a
seaside condominium tower
collapsed into a smoldering
heap of twisted metal and
concrete, rescuers used both
heavy equipment and their
own hands to comb through
the wreckage on Friday in an
increasingly desperate
search for survivors, reports
UNB.
As scores of firefighters in
Surfside, just north of
Miami, toiled to locate and
reach anyone still alive in the
remains of the 12-story
Champlain Towers South,
hopes rested on how quickly
crews using dogs and
microphones could
complete their grim, yet
delicate task.
"Any time that we hear a
sound, we concentrate in
that area," Miami-Dade
Assistant Fire Chief Raide
Jadallah said. "It could be
just steel twisting, it could be
state.
"No matter what defensive steps were
taking at the moment, the virus seems to
understand how to counter-attack."
Globally, the pandemic is still slowing
down, with the World Health
Organization (WHO) reporting the
lowest number of new cases worldwide
since February and decreasing deaths
attributed to the coronavirus.
But concerns over the Delta variant
have prompted new restrictions in
countries that had previously managed
to control their own outbreaks.
"Globally there is currently a lot of
concern about the Delta variant," WHO
chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told
a Friday press conference.
"Delta is the most transmissible of the
variants identified so far, has been
identified in at least 85 countries and is
spreading rapidly among unvaccinated
populations," he added.
Spain nonetheless brought an end to
mandatory outdoor mask wearing on
debris raining down, but not
specifically sounds of
tapping or sounds of a
human voice."
Buffeted by gusty winds
and pelted by intermittent
rain showers, two heavy
cranes began removing
debris from the pile using
large claws in the morning,
creating a din of crashing
glass and metal as they
picked up material and
dumped it to the side. A
smoky haze rose from the
site.
Once the machines
paused, firefighters wearing
protective masks and
carrying red buckets
climbed atop the pile to
remove smaller pieces by
hand in hope of finding
spots where people might be
trapped. In a parking garage,
rescuers in knee-deep water
used power tools to cut into
the building from below.
Surfside Mayor Charles
Burkett said crews were
doing everything possible to
save as many people as they
could.
"We do not have a
resource problem, we have a
luck problem," he said.
The White House said
President Joe Biden, who
spoke with Florida Gov. Ron
DeSantis after the collapse,
was receiving updates from
Homeland Security.
Officials said they still
don't know exactly how
many residents or visitors
were in the building when it
fell, but they were trying to
locate 159 people who were
considered unaccounted for
and may or may not have
been there.
Flowers left in tribute
decorated a fence near the
tower, and people awaiting
news about the search
watched from a distance,
hands clasped and hugging.
Congregants prayed at a
nearbysynagoguewhere
some members were among
Saturday, a year after the rule was first
introduced in the wake of the devastating
first wave of the virus through Europe.
The decision came despite the
announcement of a major coronavirus
cluster in the capital Madrid, traced to an
end-of-school-year student trip to the
holiday island Mallorca, with more than
2,000 people ordered to self-isolate.
The Netherlands ended its rules on
outdoor mask wearing, also easing some
restrictions on indoor dining and
reopening discotheques to patrons who
tested negative for Covid.
Businesses were also allowed from
Friday to broadcast the Euro 2020
football tournament, provided customers
kept socially distanced.
And Switzerland scrapped most of its
remaining coronavirus restrictions on
Saturday, after health minister Alain
Berset said this week that the country's
use of Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna
vaccines gave adequate protection
against the Delta variant.
the missing.
On the beach near the
collapsed structure, visitor
Faydah Bushnaq of Sterling,
Virginia, knelt and scratched
"Pray for their souls" in the
sand.
"We were supposed to be
on vacation, but I have no
motivation to have fun,"
Bushnaq said. "It is the
perfect time to say a prayer
for them."
Three more bodies were
removed overnight, and
Miami-Dade Police Director
Freddy Ramirez said
authorities were working
with the medical examiner's
office to identify the victims.
Eleven injuries were
reported, with four people
treated at hospitals.
Miami-Dade Mayor
Daniella Levine Cava said
rescuers were at "extreme
risk" going through the
rubble.
"Debris is falling on them
as they do their work.
With nearly 160 people unaccounted for and at least four dead after a seaside condominium
tower collapsed into a smoldering heap of twisted metal and concrete, rescuers used both heavy
equipment and their own hands to comb through the wreckage on Friday in an increasingly desperate
search for survivors.
Photo : AP
Evidence on UFOs
'largely inconclusive':
US intelligence report
WASHINGTON : A highly
awaited US intelligence
report on dozens of
mysterious unidentified
flying object sightings said
most could not be explained,
but did not rule out that
some could be alien
spacecraft.
The unclassified report
said researchers could
explain only one of 144 UFO
sightings by US government
personnel and sources
between 2004 and 2021,
sightings that often were
made during military
training activities.
Eighteen of those, some
observed from multiple
angles, appeared to display
unusual movements or flight
characteristics that
surprised those who saw
them, like holding stationary
in high winds at high
altitude, and moving with
extreme speed with no
discernable means of
propulsion, the report said.
Some of the 144 might be
explained by natural or
human made objects like
birds or drones cluttering a
pilot's radar, or natural
atmospheric phenomena,
the report said.
Others could be secret US
defense tests, or unknown
advanced technologies
created by Russia or China,
it said.
Yet others appeared to
require more advanced
technologies to determine
what they are, it said.
The sightings of what the
report calls unidentified
aerial phenomena (UAP)
"probably lack a single
explanation," said the report
from the Office of the
Director of National
Intelligence.
"We currently lack
sufficient information in our
dataset to attribute incidents
to specific explanations."
The report made no
mention of the possibility ofor
rule out-that some of the
objects sighted could
represent extra-terrestrial
life. The military and
intelligence community
have conducted research on
them as a potential threat.
Sydney flags broader
lockdown as Delta
variant cases swell
SYDNEY : Central Sydney's
streets were deserted on
Saturday as Australia's
largest city began a weeklong
lockdown to contain the
highly contagious Delta
coronavirus variant, with
authorities warning broader
restrictions could follow.
More than 80 Covid-19
cases have been reported so
far in an infection surge
linked to an international
flight crew transported to a
quarantine hotel from the
airport.
The flare-up was a shock
for a city that had returned
to relative normality after
months with very few local
cases.
The sudden curbs took
effect at midnight, affecting
an estimated one million
people across Sydney's
business district and affluent
eastern suburbs.
But the spread of the
outbreak beyond the four
neighbourhoods already
under lockdown was
spurring "growing and more
intense concern", New
South Wales state health
minister Brad Hazzard said.
"The Delta variant is
proving to be a very
formidable foe," he told
reporters.
"No matter what
defensive steps were taking
at the moment, the virus
seems to understand how to
counter-attack."
Health officials have been
alarmed by the rapid spread
of the Delta variant first seen
in India, noting instances of
people passing on the virus
during fleeting encounters
in shops and then quickly
infecting close family
contacts.
WASHINGTON : Former President Donald
Trump will return to the rally stage this weekend,
holding his first campaign-style event since
leaving the White House as he makes good on his
pledge to exact revenge on those who voted for
his historic second impeachment, reports UNB.
Trump's event at Ohio's Lorain County
Fairgrounds, not far from Cleveland, will be held
Saturday to support Max Miller, a former White
House aide who is challenging Republican Rep.
Anthony Gonzalez for his congressional seat.
Gonzalez was one of 10 GOP House members
who voted to impeach Trump for his role in
inciting the deadly Jan. 6 insurrection at the
Capitol building.
Trump wants them to pay.
The rally, held five months after Trump left
office under a cloud of violence, marks the
beginning of a new, more public phase of his
post-presidency. After spending much of his time
behind closed doors building a political operation
and fuming about the last election, Trump is
planning a flurry of public appearances in the
coming weeks. He'll hold another rally in Florida
over the July Fourth weekend unattached to a
midterm candidate and will travel to the
southern border next week to protest President
SunDAY, JunE 27, 2021
7
Trump targeting GOP
impeachment voter
at Ohio revenge rally
Joe Biden's immigration policies.
The rally also comes as Trump is facing
immediate legal jeopardy. Manhattan
prosecutors informed his company Thursday
that it could soon face criminal charges
stemming from a wide-ranging investigation into
the former president's business dealings. The
New York Times, citing sources familiar with the
matter, reported that charges could be filed
against the Trump Organization as early as next
week. Trump has denounced the investigations
as nothing more than a "witch hunt" aimed as
damaging him politically. Although Trump
remains a deeply polarizing figure, he is
extremely popular with the Republican base, and
candidates have flocked to his homes in Florida
and New Jersey seeking his endorsement as he
has tried to positioned himself as his party's
kingmaker. Trump has said he is committed to
helping Republicans regain control of Congress in next
year's midterm elections. But his efforts to support -
and recruit - candidates to challenge incumbent
Republicans who have crossed him put him at odds
with other Republican leaders who have been trying to
unify the party after a brutal year in which they lost
control of the White House and failed to gain control
of either chamber of Congress.
Former President Donald Trump will return to the rally stage this weekend,
holding his first campaign-style event since leaving the White House
as he makes good on his pledge to exact revenge on those who voted for his
historic second impeachment.
Photo : AP
Bill to renew key Missouri Medicaid
funding tax advances
JEFFERSON CITY : Missouri senators
advanced a bill to renew a key tax for
Medicaid funding late Friday after hours of
debate over coverage of family planning
services. The GOP-led Senate in a voice vote
gave the tax bill initial approval. The bill
needs another Senate vote to move to the
House, reports UNB.
Senators were able to advance the bill after
some Republicans joined with Democrats to
vote down a proposal by GOP Sen. Bob
Onder that sought to cut off any government
money for Planned Parenthood.
Missouri already bans any Medicaid
funding from being used to pay for
abortions. But the Missouri Supreme Court
last year overturned another provision in a
state budget law forbidding Medicaid
reimbursements to any Planned Parenthood
clinic, even those that don't provide
abortions. "No taxpayer should be forced to
participate in the evil of abortion," Onder
told colleagues during debate on the Senate
floor Friday. Onder framed his proposal as a
test of fellow Republicans' beliefs on
abortion, which GOP Sen. Mike Cierpiot
called "outrageous." Cierpiot was among
several Republicans who raised concerns
that blocking all Medicaid funding for
Planned Parenthood, without first getting a
waiver from the federal Centers for Medicare
and Medicaid Services, could violate federal
rules and put billions of dollars in federal
Medicaid funding at risk.
"It is the opposite of a pro-life move,"
Cierpiot said. "It is going to threaten funds
for the most vulnerable people in this state."
The latest version of the bill also includes a
ban on Medicaid spending on any
medications or devices "used for the purpose
of inducing an abortion."
Lawmakers for months have been trying to
extend the tax on hospitals, pharmacies,
nursing homes and ambulances, which
expires Sept. 30.
Afghan leader meets Biden
as US exit looms
WASHINGTON : US
President Joe Biden
promised Afghan leader
Ashraf Ghani strong support
during a White House
meeting Friday but made
clear he was not planning to
slow the US withdrawal after
nearly two decades of
fighting. Less than three
months before his deadline
for the removal of all troops,
Biden told Ghani that
Afghans had to determine
their own fate even as they
face a mounting offensive by
Taliban insurgents.
"The partnership between
the United States and
Afghanistan is not ending,"
Biden said in the Oval Office.
"Our troops may be
leaving, but support for
Afghanistan is not ending."
Even so, Biden told the
Afghan president, "Afghans
are going to have to decide
their future, what they
want." "The senseless
violence, it has to stop. It's
going to be very difficult."
Ghani was in Washington
along with Abdullah
Abdullah, who oversees
Kabul's peace negotiations
with the Taliban, amid rising
uncertainty over the group's
recent gains and the
possibility of their return to
power.
The extremists subjected
the population to a brutal
version of Islam when they
ruled from 1996-2001.
Sitting next to Biden,
Ghani acknowledged that
Biden was not going to
change course from his April
announcement ordering the
end to America's longest
war. "President Biden's
decision has been historic, it
has made everybody
recalculate and reconsider,"
Ghani said.
"We are here to respect it
and support it."
But he also said not to
count his government out,
amid reports that an internal
US intelligence assessment
says the Taliban could
possibly take over Kabul
within six months of the US
departure.
Ghani said Afghan
government forces retook
six districts, in the north and
south, on Friday.
SunDAY, JunE 27, 2021
8
Growing together with Daraz
Seller Referral Program
Innovation and integration of
buyer/seller goodwill have been Daraz
Bangladesh's forte since day 1, and
now the leading online marketplace
has introduced a unique 'Seller
Referral Program' to boost their peer
engagements even more. The latest
seller referral program enables both
Bank of England torn between inflation
fears and Covid recovery
LONDON: The Bank of
England is forecast to keep
record low interest rates on
Thursday-the latest major
central bank to weigh fears of
spiking inflation against the
need to nurture economic
recovery from Covid, reports
BSS.
The British central bank will
announce the outcome of its
meeting at 1100 GMT, when it
is predicted to keep rates at 0.1
percent and maintain bondbuying
stimulus.
The US Federal Reserve and
European Central Bank kept
their own ultra-low rates and
economic support measures
intact in recent weeks,
insisting that high inflation is a
temporary side-effect from the
global rebound.
The Bank of England's ratesetting
monetary policy
Walton moves to expand TV export
to 20 European countries by 2021
Bangladesh's electronics giant
Walton has set a target of
widening its TV export
business to total of 20
European countries by the
year 2021 as the local brand's
manufactured and exported
'Made in Bangladesh' tagged
television in Europe has been
well accepted for its high
quality as well as reliability,
says a press release.
Despite the global trade and
economic slowdown following
the coronavirus pandemic
situation, Walton made a great
success in expanding its LED
TV exports to 10 European
countries, including Germany,
Greece, Ireland, Croatia,
Spain, Poland, Italy and
Romania. Walton's successful
market expansion in Europe
was resulted in increasing its
TV export 10 times more than
the previous year.
In addition, Walton's TV
exports to Europe in the year
2020 was exceeded in the first
five months of this year
Daraz customers and sellers to refer
new sellers to the Daraz platform and
enhance the overall business
modalities for both the platform and
the vendors, a press release said.
New sellers would have to use
certain referral codes while signing up
on Daraz, so the referees' primary
committee (MPC), chaired by
Governor Andrew Bailey, will
be eager not to snub out any
nascent economic recovery in
the second quarter by raising
rates too soon.
The BoE's chief task is to use
monetary policy as a tool to
keep the inflation rate close to
a 2.0-percent target, in order
to preserve the value of money.
Inflation last month hit 2.1
percent-the highest level since
before the pandemic-with
clothing, fuel and oil prices
rebounding as the economy
reopens. Policymakers will
also be mindful of retreating
unemployment, as the
economy gradually emerges
from lockdown.
"Inflation is rising and
unemployment is falling, but
the Bank of England isn't going
to do anything about raising
(January to May).
German Ambassador to
Bangladesh Peter Fahrenholtz
praised Walton's remarkable
achievements in expanding
TV export to Europe.
During a recent visit to
Walton Hi-Tech Park at
Chandra in Gazipur, the
German envoy was briefed on
the successful market
expansion of Walton products
in Europe.
Witnessing the use of
European technologies'
advanced machineries, the
ambassador also lauded
Walton's state-of-the-art TV
manufacturing factory.
On his reaction on the visit,
Peter Fahrenholtz said,
"Walton has developed so
well. I am very much
impressed. Walton has a
vision to be a global player
through producing quality
products. Today, I witnessed
that Walton invested good
enough on advanced
technologies' machineries
interest rates until it's sure
these aren't just transitory
factors emanating from an
economy that's gone from red
to green," said analyst Laith
Khalaf at stockbroker AJ Bell.
The labour market is being
helped also by the
government's temporary
furlough scheme, which pays
the bulk of wages for millions
of private-sector workers but
will be phased out by
September. The Covidravaged
economy grew by an
encouraging 2.3 percent in
April as the government began
to ease lockdown.
Bright survey data has
sparked hope of a rebound in
the second quarter or three
months to June, after
shrinking 1.5 percent in the
first quarter.
Private sector business
mostly from Germany to
produce quality products. I
hope that Walton would be a
global market player.'
The German envoy also
termed Walton as a showcase
of the the Bangladesh
tremendous progress in the
recent years.
Walton Hi-Tech Managing
Director Engineer Golam
Walton's higher officials is briefing German Ambassador to Bangladesh
Peter Fahrenholtz about the successful market expansion of Walton products
in Europe during his recent visit to the TV Manufacturing Factory at
Walton Hi-Tech Park in Chandra, Gazipur.
Photo: Courtesy
Murshed said, Walton wants
to bring the Bangladesh's flag
of Bangladesh to a unique
height in the world by securing
a strong brand position in the
world's consumer electronics
markets. That's why, Walton
has been moving forward with
the "Vision- Go Global 2030".
The vision implies Walton will
be emerged as the best and
leading global electronics
brand in the world by 2030.
Walton TV Chief Executive
Officer Mostafa Nahid
Hossain said, "We set a goal of
becoming one of the top five
global television brands in the
world. As a part of this goal, we
objective is completed. After a new
seller attaining a certain benchmark,
the referee shall receive a Daraz
voucher worth BDT 300 per refer as a
reward. A person can refer unlimited
sellers and will enjoy rewards for 5
new sellers and up to BDT 1500 per
month.
activity expanded at a nearrecord
pace in June, with
businesses taking on staff at a
record rate, data firm IHS
Markit said. The BoE expects
the economy to grow 7.25
percent this year. But markets
are increasingly anxious over a
global inflationary surge,
fuelled by consumers' pent-up
demand.
BoE chief economist Andy
Haldane, who will attend his
swansong MPC on Thursday,
has warned of a "dangerous
moment" for central bankers
and the broader economy.
"The inflation tiger is never
dead. While nothing is
assured, acting early as
inflation risks grow is the best
way of heading off future
threat. This is monetary policy
101," Haldane wrote in New
Statesman magazine.
target to widen Walton TV
export markets to all the
countries of the 5 continents
by 2023. In this case, the rapid
expansion of Walton TV's
export market in Europe will
play an important role.
He said Walton exported 10
times more TVs to Europe in
2020 than the previous year.
In the first five month of this
year (January to May), Walton
surpassed the export of 2020.
Walton TV's Head of
Business in Germany Tawseef
Al Mahmood said, they set a
plan to expand its TV export
markets to 20 European
countries by the end of 2021.
The 'Made in Bangladesh' TV
has be well accepted for ins
reliability and quality in
Europe and Walton want to
up hold this standard going
forward. This year, Walton are
going to launch 3 new models
with new Smart features with
regional software suitable for
Europe markets.
According to sources,
Walton is making TVs of
European standard at its own
factory at Chandra in Gazipur.
Walton has already been
recognized as a state-of-theart
Dolby and Google-listed
'licensed TV manufacturer'.
Walton is the only company in
Bangladesh to produce
Dolby's official sound quality
TV. The price of these TVs is as
affordable as it is the best. And
so Walton TV is now at the top
considering the market share
in the local market.
It is learned that besides
meeting the local demand,
Walton TV has been exported
to different countries of the
world since 2010. Walton is
currently exporting TVs
labeled 'Made in Bangladesh'
through more than 100
business partners in more
than 35 countries.
8th Annual General Meeting (AGM) of NRBC
Bank Limited held Through Digital Platform
The 8th Annual General
Meeting (AGM) of NRBC
Bank Ltdwas held on
through digital platform
'Zoom' recently. The AGM
was conducted through
virtual medium as per the
directive of the regulatory
body BSEC due to the ongoing
nationwide Corona
virus pandemic, a press
release said.
S. M. Parvez Tamal, the
Honorable Chairman of the
Board of Directors presided
over the meeting. All
Directors, Sponsors, a large
number of Shareholders,
Managing Director & CEO
Golam Awlia and External
Auditor of the Bank
attended the meeting on
virtual platform. Company
Secretary Md. Mozammel
Hossain conducted the
meeting. Chairman S M
Parvez Tamal presented the
Annual Report 2020 of the
Bank and Directors Report
before the Honorable
Shareholders. Shakib Al
Hasan, number one allrounder
of the world also
attended the meeting as a
distinguished share holder
of this bank.
The Shareholders present
in the AGM approved 12.5%
International Business
Forum of Bangladesh (IBFB)
and Bangladesh Enterprise
Institute (BEI) jointly
organized a webinar titled on
"The National Budget for
2021-22: Private Sector
Perspective" via ZOOM
video conference recently, a
press release said.
M. A. Mannan, MP,
Minister, Ministry of
Planning, Government of the
People's Republic of
Bangladesh graced the
webinar as Chief Guest.
Towfiqul Islam Khan,
Senior Research Fellow,
Centre for Policy Dialogue
(CPD) was the Key Note
Speaker at the webinar.
M.S. Siddiqui, Legal
Economist & Vice President,
International Business
Forum of Bangladesh
(IBFB), Dr. M. Masrur Reaz,
Chairman, Policy Exchange
of Bangladesh, Dr.
Muhammad Abdul Mazid,
Former Secretary and Ex-
Chairman, NBR &
Chairman, Finance
Committee, IBFB and Dr.
consisting of 5% stock and
7.5% cash dividend for the
year ended 2020. Apart
from that, adoption and
approval of last year's
Financial Statements,
retirement and reelection of
04 Directors and other
agenda were also approved
in the AGM by the votes of
the shareholders. NRBC
Bank experienced
Mohammad Mahfuz Kabir,
Research Director,
Bangladesh Institute of
International and Strategic
Studies (BIISS) spoke as
Designated Discussants.
Ambassador M Humayun
Kabir, President, BEI
delivered the welcome
remarks at the webinar and
Lutfunnisa Saudia Khan,
Vice President Finance,
IBFB delivered the vote of
tremendous growth in all
financial parameters in
2020 amid Corona Virus
pandemic situation. Bank's
deposit increased by 25 per
cent from Tk 7,185 crore to
Tk 9,017 crore in December
2020. Loans increased by
20.67 percent. At the end of
last year, the amount of debt
stood at Tk.7,483 crore; last
year it was 6,201 crore. Net
thanks at the webinar.
Humayun Rashid,
President, IBFB & Managing
Director & CEO, Energypac
Power Generation Ltd. was
the Chairperson of the
webinar.
Among others Hafizur
Rahman Khan, Immediate
Past President, IBFB and
Chairman, Runner Group of
Companies, Dr. Md. Ali
Afzal, Director, IBFB and
profit has increased from Tk
114 crore to Tk. 134 crore.
Earnings per share stood at
Tk 2.31. The bank's NPL rate
is only 2.93 percent. The
bank has shown financial
strength by saving 12.52
percent of its capital
adequacy Ratio (CAR) . It
was informed in the
discussion of the AGM that
NRBC Bank is a strong
partner of the government
for revenue collection.
NRBC Bank is lending
money to the people in an
easy process. Microcredit
schemes have been
introduced for this purpose.
Under this scheme in
partnership banking, loans
will be given to 1 lakh
marginalized people in the
next one year by they will be
able to become self-reliant
by arranging their own
work. In addition to the
banking activities, the bank
has stood beside Corona
affected people. NRBC Bank
has been termed as
'Humanitarian Bank' for its
various activities including
distribution of medicines,
PPE, masks, hand sanitizers,
hand gloves and distribution
of cash among the destitute
people.
Webinar on 'The national budget for
2021-22: private sector perspective'
IMF board approves
final Egypt loan
disbursal
WASHINGTON : The IMF
executive board on
Wednesday said it had
approved Egypt's request for a
$1.7 billion loan, its final
disbursement under a plan
aiding its recovery from the
Covid-19 crisis, reports BSS.
"The Egyptian authorities
have managed well the
economic and social impact of
the COVID-19 pandemic,"
IMF Deputy Managing
Director and Acting Chair
Antoinette Sayeh said in a
statement.
"Proactive economic
policies shielded the economy
from the full brunt of the
crisis, alleviating the health
and social impact of the shock
while maintaining
macroeconomic stability and
investor confidence."
IMF staff approved the
release of the funds last
month as part of a program
now valued at $5.4 billion and
set up in June 2020 to help
the country during the
pandemic, $2 billion of which
was disbursed immediately.
The Washington-based
crisis lender greenlit the
release of $1.6 billion in
December after concluding
Egypt's government was
managing the downturn well.
Managing Director,
Krishibid Group, Lt. Gen M.
Harun-Ar-Rashid, Bir Protik
(Retd.), Chairman,
Governmental Relation and
Advocacy Committee, IBFB,
Managing Director, Rashid
Krishi Khamar Limited and
Prof. Dr. Hosne Ara Begum
(Ashoka Fellow & PHF),
Founder Executive Director,
TMSS, Bangladesh spoke at
the webinar.
Standard Bank Organizes
BAMLCO Conference-2021
Standard Bank Limited (SBL) has organized
the BAMLCO Conference 2021 a day-long
forum of the Branch Anti Money Laundering
Compliance Officers (BAMLCOs) of the bank
at a virtual event recently. Senior
executives/head of divisions and officials of
concerned divisions of the bank participated
in the conference along with 138 BAMLCOs of
the bank, a press release said
Head of Bangladesh Financial Intelligence
Unit (BFIU), Abu Hena Mohd. Razee Hassan
graced the conference as the Chief Guest.
Highlighting the AML & CFT initiatives of the
government, BFIU and international
organizations, the Chief Guest spoke about the
responsibilities of the bank as a reporting
organization during his speech. He welcomed
the initiative of the bank for holding the
conference and urged everyone present to
remain aware and endeavor to contribute to
the fight against money laundering and
terrorist financing. General Managers of
BFIU, A.B.M Zahurul Huda and Md.
Shawkatul Alam attended the event as the
Special Guests.
Managing Director & CEO of Standard Bank
Ltd., Khondoker Rashed Maqsood advised the
BAMLCOs to strive further to mitigate the risk
of ML & TF by complying with the regulatory
instructions on AML & CFT.
Deputy General Manager, Muhammad
Mohsin Hossaini, Joint Director, Md. Rokon-
Uz-Zaman and Md. Jaynul Abedeen, Deputy
Director of BFIU were the resource persons of
the day-long conference. Additional
Managing Director & CAMLCO of SBL, Md.
Touhidul Alam Khan has moderated the
whole conference.
SUNDAY, JUNE 27, 2021
9
Patrik Schick unleashes his long-ranger for Czech Republic vs Scotland (UEFA).
Photo: AP
Long-range goals in European Championships
shoot into footballing folklore
SPORTS DESK
It took exactly 4.6 seconds for
Czech Republic striker Patrik
Schick to achieve cult status
in European Championship
folklore. The time between
him receiving the ball inside
his own half, rushing towards
the half-line and hoofing the
ball across 49.7 yards over a
frantically back-pedalling
Scotland goalkeeper David
Marshall, who ended up
comically tangled in the
mesh, like a captured tiger. It
was in a metaphorical sense,
his shot to glory, reports
UNB.
From an anonymous striker
in the Bundesliga, rejected
numerous times by the
heavyweights, the goal
instantly made Schick the
rising star of Europe,
inundated with suitors
queuing up and willing to
expend any incredulous sum
Tim Paine apologises
to New Zealand
for picking India
to win WTC final
SPORTS DESK
Australia test captain Tim
Paine has apologised to New
Zealand for writing the
Black Caps off before their
World Test Championship
(WTC) triumph against
India, reports UNB.
Paine had predicted India
would "comfortably" beat
Kane Williamson's side in
the WTC final, only to be
ridiculed on social media
after New Zealand
completed an eight-wicket
win in Southampton this
week. "We all get some
wrong. I copped a bit from
the Kiwi fans, so I thought
I'd come on air and eat some
humble pie," Paine told New
Zealand radio station
Newstalk ZB."I thought the
New Zealanders played
outstandingly.
It's always a pleasure to
watch the way they go about
it."For such a small nation -
I'm from Tasmania.
his current employers, Bayer
Leverkusen, demand in
exchange for his signature.
Even before the Euros has
rolled into the knockout
stage, Schick strike, the
longest-ranger in the history
of the continental
championships, is being
hailed as the goal of the
tournament. It's unlikely that
the distance he covered
would be replicated in this
tournament, by even Schick
himself. It is hard to attain
perfection once, let alone
twice. The technical demands
involved in such goals are
stratospheric. For this precise
reason, it's improbable that
such long-rangers would turn
out to be fashionable in the
tournament, even if there is a
sudden surge in shies and
goals from outside the box, as
a shock weapon to catch
defending teams off guard.
Since that game, there have
been 41 efforts from outside
the box in 29 games, of which
12 pierced the nets. The low
hitting and conversion rates
probably explain why there
are fewer shots on goals from
outside the box as well as why
a minority of the attempts
indeed result in a goal. Outof-the-box
hits are rare, outof-the-box
hits that result in
goals are rarer. Apart from
supreme technique, power,
accuracy and split-second
decision-making, one needs
confidence and ambition too.
Fewer goals though provide
as much spontaneous thrill as
those from the distance. A
dribbler winkling past a maze
of legs could bewitch you; a
winger's welting run from the
half-line to the six-yard box
could confiscate your breath
and give lung spasms; a
poacher's strike has a
calculated inevitability about
it, but long-rangers could
make your spine shiver and
the hair on the back of the
neck do a little dance even
when watching it on a loop. A
double surge of adrenalin.
The best from downtown
Not just the Schick goal, but
those from Luka Modric, the
high priest of long-rangers,
Ukraine's AndriyYarmolenko
against the Dutch, or
Denmark's
MikkelDamsgaard against
the Russians - to name but a
few of the pearlers. They go
by different names, but
adhering to strict rhyme
patterns -pearlers (usually
volleys and involving
acrobatics), screamers
(powerful and slamming into
the top corner), pile-drivers
(flat and straight), daisycutters
(all along the ground),
curlers (those with wicked
swerve) or hoofers (ultralong-range
ones that are hit
high).
Relentless Ronaldo makes Portugal
believe again before Belgium
SPORTS DESK
Portugal felt the full range of emotions
during the Euro 2020 group stage and with
Cristiano Ronaldo in the groove again, they
can really begin to believe, reports BSS.
After scoring three late goals to beat
Hungary, Portugal were shaken by a 4-2 loss
to Germany, only for a 2-2 draw against
France to restore morale and ensure they
snuck out of Group F in third place.
The result is a last-16 clash with Belgium in
Seville on Sunday, when one of the
tournament favourites will bow out in what
is surely the blockbuster tie of the round.
One of the frontrunners for the Golden
Boot will fall too, with Ronaldo and
Belgium's RomeluLukaku both in
contention. Ronaldo leads the scoring charts
on five goals with Lukaku not far behind on
three.
Portugal may have taken only a point from
a sweaty contest with France at the Puskas
Arena in Budapest but the belief and
confidence gained from going toe-to-toe with
the world champions could be pivotal for the
rest of their tournament.
After chaos against Germany came
concentration against the French, a
committed, organised and aggressive
performance which was a reminder of what
carried Portugal to success at Euro 2016 and
in the Nations League three years later.
"We were strong and consistent. The
players helped each other, we had
possession, we attacked well. We improved a
lot from the game against Germany," said
Portugal's coach Fernando Santos
afterwards.
Santos had responded too, reacting to
criticism by reverting to his traditional 4-3-3
system of the past two years and making
some bold changes to his starting line-up.
'We can beat anyone' -
William Carvalho and Bruno Fernandes,
who both struggled in the first two games,
made way for the young Renato Sanches and
the veteran Joao Moutinho, who both rose to
the challenge against Paul Pogba and
N'GoloKante.
Sanches brought some much-needed
dynamism to the team while the 34-year-old
Moutinho's surgical passing gave Portugal
the guile and direction they had lacked
against Germany.
"We can fight against the best teams," said
Santos. "Either we believe or we don't
because we can beat anyone and I'll keep
saying it-no team thinks they will have an
easy time against Portugal."
New Zealand's captain Kane Williamson holds the winner's trophy as he celebrates with his
teammates after their win in the World Test Championship final cricket match against India, at
the Rose Bowl in Southampton, England, Wednesday, June 23, 2021. New Zealand won the
match by eight wickets.
Photo: AP
Mo Farah missing
Olympics after failing
to qualify in 10K
SPORTS DESK
Mo Farah failed to qualify
for the Tokyo Olympics and
will not defend his 10,000-
meter title, reports UNB.
The four-time Olympic
champion missed the
qualifying time in an
invitational 10,000 at the
British
athletics
championships in
Manchester.
Farah needed to go under
27 minutes, 28 seconds to
earn his place on the plane to
Tokyo ahead of Sunday's
deadline but he clocked 27
minutes, 47.04 seconds, and
will not defend the 10,000
title he won in 2012 and
2016.
"You go out there and give
it all and that's all you have,"
he said. "It's quite windy. I
tried to push and push and I
ran my lungs out.
"I've had a wonderful
career. I'm very grateful.
That's all I had today. It's a
tough one. I've always said if
I can't compete with the
best, I'm not going to be in a
final. Tonight wasn't good
enough."
The invitational race was
hastily arranged after Farah
failed to qualify during the
10,000 trials in Birmingham
this month.
He was the second Brit
home in eighth on that
occasion, taking 27 minutes,
50.54 seconds, and blamed
an ankle problem for
hampering his attempt.
It was the first time he had
lost a 10,000 race in a
decade having decided to
return to the track after
focusing on the marathon
since 2017.
Farah was also a double
Olympic champion in the
5,000.
Maradona
psychiatrist
denies blame
in star's death
SPORTS DESK
The psychiatrist who was
treating Diego Maradona
when he died last November
denies any responsibility for
his demise, which an expert
panel has blamed on neglect,
her lawyer said Friday,
reports BSS.
Agustina Cosachov, 36,
will tell investigators the
footballer "died of a
coronary issue that in no
way related to the
psychiatric issues she was
attending to," her lawyer
Vadim Mischanchuk said as
his client arrived to be
questioned by prosecutors.
"She was a psychiatric
doctor, she had nothing to
do with the clinical
management of the patient,"
the lawyer said.
Cosachov, an addiction
specialist, is one of seven
medical professionals under
investigation
for
manslaughter over
Maradona's death in a case
that has gripped Argentina.
According to the
investigation record,
Cosachov and neurosurgeon
Leopoldo Luque, 39, were
the key personnel in charge
of Maradona's care.
The 1986 World Cupwinning
captain died of a
heart attack at the age of 60,
weeks after undergoing
brain surgery for a blood
clot.
Cosachov
and
psychologist Carlos Diaz, 29,
found Maradona dead in
bed in a rented house in an
exclusive Buenos Aires
neighborhood where he was
receiving home care.
'They killed Diego' -
Prosecutors opened an
investigation after a board of
experts looking into the
footballer's death found he
had received inadequate
care and was abandoned to
his fate.
Last week, a lawyer for coaccused
nurse Dahiana
Madrid, 36, told prosecutors
the doctors in charge had
"killed Diego."
Italy ready for last 16 as Wales
face Denmark at Euro 2020
SPORTS DESK
Italy could break an 82-year
national record when they
take on Austria in the last 16
at Euro 2020 on Saturday,
while Wales must find a way
to stop neutrals'favourites
Denmark, reports BSS.
Roberto Mancini, who
took over after Italy's failure
to qualify for the 2018 World
Cup, has rebuilt the Azzurri
into contenders, overseeing
a 30-match unbeaten run to
equal the mark set under
two-time World Cupwinning
coach Vittorio
Pozzo in the 1930s.
Italy breezed through the
group stage and have won
their last 11 matches without
conceding a goal. They will
be heavy favourites against
an Austria side through to
the knockout stages of the
tournament for the first
time.
"Playing at Wembley
really should be a pleasure
because... well, sometimes
players never get a chance to
play there in their lives," said
former Manchester City
boss Mancini.
"It's such a spectacular
stadium and I want us to go
out there and play well
because, well the stadium
kind of deserves that."
Austria advanced as
runners-up from Group C,
recovering from a 2-0 loss to
Netherlands by beating
Ukraine 1-0 in their final
game.
"We know we're the
underdogs and it's difficult
to judge our realistic chances
but even with 10 percent you
can achieve a lot," said
Austria coach Franco Foda.
"This team has already
achieved something
spectacular but now we're
focused on taking the next
step to make it to Munich."
Momentum with
Denmark -Gareth Bale and
Wales play Denmark in
Amsterdam, dreaming of a
repeat of their run to the
Euro 2016 semi-finals after
advancing as runners-up of
Group A behind Italy.
Denmark overcame the
shock and trauma of
Christian Eriksen's cardiac
arrest during their opening
game against Finland to
qualify for the knockout
phase as the second-placed
team in Group B despite
losing their first two
matches.
After being revived on the
pitch in Copenhagen,
Eriksen spent six days in
hospital after his collapse,
undergoing surgery to have
a defibrillator implanted.
"We dealt with a very
traumatic experience and
the same night we kept
playing. We played one of
the best teams in the world
(Belgium) a couple of days
later and we beat Russia
playing very intensely," said
coach Kasper Hjulmand.
"It shows the power we
possess, both physical and
mental."
The Danes are aiming to
win a knockout tie at the
European Championship for
the first time since they
stunned the continent to win
the trophy itself in 1992.
It is exactly 29 years since
Denmark defeated Germany
in the final in Gothenburg
having famously only
qualified because war-torn
Yugoslavia disintegrated.
Wales will be denied a
proper travelling support in
Amsterdam with fans barred
from entering the
Netherlands from the
United Kingdom.
Italy made an impressive start to Euro 2020 and won all three of their
games in Group A.
Photo: AP
All smiles for Simone
Biles, as Tokyo comes
into focus at US trials
SPORTS DESK
Four-time Olympic gold
medallist Simone Biles
backed up her reputation as
the world's greatest gymnast
on Friday, dominating the
first day of the women's
competition at the U.S.
Olympic gymnastics trials,
less than a month before the
Tokyo Games, reports UNB.
While Biles can boast one
of the most decorated
careers in the history of the
sport, the 25-time world
medallist must earn her
ticket to Tokyo this weekend
in St. Louis, as Olympic
hopefuls vie for a spot on
Team USA.
She made clear that would
be no problem. Competing
in front of a packed crowd at
the Dome at America's
Center, the 24-year-old put
on a show in her floor
routine, unleashing her
signature triple-twisting
double back maneuver to
pick up a top score of 15.366
- an improvement over her
best of 14.95 at nationals -
with a 6.800 difficulty.
"Going into this one, I
know exactly what to
expect," said Biles, a seventimes
all-around national
champion, reflecting on the
five years since her previous
trials. "I'm a lot more
emotional this time around
which is so crazy. Even
walking out I was tearing up
and crying."
By the end of the night she
had topped the field with a
total score of 60.565,
followed by Sunisa Lee and
Jordan Chiles, who finished
2.899 and 3.422 points off
the
lead,
respectively.MyKayla
Skinner (56.598), 24, an
alternate at the 2016
Olympics, finished the
evening fourth in the
standings, months after
recovering from pneumonia
and a COVID-19 diagnosis.
The top two finishers will
earn spots on the team,
while two members will be
determined by a selection
committee with one more
individual quota spot to be
filled.Lee, 18, widely
considered a frontrunner to
make the team after a strong
performance at the U.S.
national championships last
month, put up the top score
on the uneven bars (15.300),
after picking up bronze in
the event at the 2019 World
Championships.The women
will return to the dome
Sunday for the second and
final night of their
competition, as the men
wrap up their competition
on Saturday.
Swimming Australia says bad
treatment a decades-long issu
SPORTS DESK
Swimming Australia says unacceptable
treatment of some swimmers is a decades-long
problem amid media reports that six former
elite athletes will soon make public their
experiences of abuse in the sport, reports
UNB.Swimming Australia said in a statement
Saturday that it is "deeply concerned and
understands the gravity" of fresh claims of abuse
within the sport after meeting with former
Olympic swimmer Maddie Groves.
"We acknowledge some members of the
swimming community have experienced
unacceptable behavior, some of this dates back
decades," SA said.
The swimming association said it was
unaware of the nature of the claims from the six
swimmers. Local media said the swimmers will
come forward amid a controversy initiated by
two-time Olympic silver medalist Groves in a
series of social media posts.
Groves withdrew from Australia's Olympic
swim trials which finished in Adelaide nine days
ago, claiming there were "misogynistic perverts
in sport." Groves on Friday met with Swimming
Australia president Kieren Perkins and chief
executive officer Alex Baumann to detail her
concerns. Perkins and Baumann are both
former Olympic gold medallists in swimming.
sunDAY, JunE 27, 2021
10
Apurba, Sabila's new drama
'Agdum Bagdum'
TBT REPORT
Popular actor Ziaul Faruq
Apurba has acted under
Rubel Hasan's direction once
again in a single-episode
drama titled 'Agdum
Bagdum'. In the drama,
Apurba will be seen opposite
actress Sabila Nur.
Based on the story of
Apurba, the play has been
scripted by Rajib Ahmed. The
drama also stars Shahidul
Alam Sachchu, Saberi Alam,
and others.In the drama,
Apurba is a middle-class
young man who lives with his
mother and younger brother.
He is unemployed and his
younger brother works in a
shop. Apurba also gets work in
the same shop where his
brother works. But on the first
day, Apurba bust-up with a
customer (played by Sabila).
She complains against
Apurba to the shop owner.
For that, Apurba and his
brother lose their job. Then
the story makes a dramatic
turn!
About the drama, Rubel
Hasan said, "The story of
'Agdum Bagdum' is written
by Apurba. We have recently
completed the project. I can
say, this will be one of my
best works. I hope, this
drama will also well accepted
by the audience."'Agdum
Bagdum' will be released on
the YouTube channel of CMV
on the occasion of the
upcoming Eid-ul-Azha.
Earlier, Apurba worked
under Rubel's direction in
'Mr. & Ms. Chapabaz' in last
year Eid-ul-Azha. The drama
got huge response and
crossed 10 million views on
YouTube within a very short
time after its release. The
actor-director duo has also
recently collaborated for the
drama's sequel 'Chapabaz
Unlimited', which also stars
Mehazabien Chowdhury.
Doly lends her voice in movie
'Bhul Manush'
TBT REPORT
Doly Shaontoni, one of the
popular singers of the 90s',
presented many hit numbers to
the audience. She has also
made her mark as a playback
singer. After a long time, the
singer has lent her voice
recently to two songs in a film
titled 'Bhul Maush'.
Among the songs, one is a
duet and another is single.
Popular singer Imran
Mahmudul sung with her in the
duet track titled 'Du Haat
Barao'. The song has been
written by Sudip Kumar Dip
and the music is composed by
Shamim Mahmud.
The music of the single track
'Nachuni Buri' has been
directed by S Pulok.
TBT REPORT
Noted film actor and lawmaker Akbar Hossain
Pathan Farooque's health condition has been
improved. He has been undergoing treatment
in Singapore's Mount Elizabeth Hospital since
March.
Farooque's wife Farhana Pathan said to
media that the actor's health condition is
improving gradually. In the last week of
March, he lost his consciousness and has been
given treatment in ICU. He is out of risk now,
she informed.
In the first week of March, Farooque went to
Singapore for regular health check-up and was
diagnosed with posterior reversible
encephalopathy syndrome (PRES),
septicemia, and pseudomonas. He has been
receiving treatment in Singapore's Mount
Elizabeth Hospital since then.
Actor Farooque, who is also a freedom
fighter, film producer, and businessman, was
elected MP from Dhaka-17 constituency in
the last national election.Farooque appeared
in over 150 films in a career spanning more
than five decades. Most of his films were
commercially and critically successful. He is
one of the most recognisable stars of the
classical and golden era of Bangladeshi film
industry. He was the first artiste selected for
About the songs, Doly
Shaontoni said, "After a
long time I've lent my voice
to two songs in a movie.
The songs are very
beautiful. One of the songs
is melodic and another is
rhythmic. I hope, the music
lovers will like the songs."
Doly Shaontoni is a
popular singer of the
country. She released 15
solo albums, mixed albums
and also sings in over 700
films. Her notable songs
are 'Kalia', 'Hey Jubok',
'Nitaigonj', 'Amar
MatirGase Lao Dhoirase',
and others. Her first
playback song was for the
film 'Utthan Poton' in
1992.
Actor Farooque's health condition
improves
the Bangladesh National Film Award for Best
Supporting Actor for the film 'Lathial' in 1975
but he declined to receive the award.
Kiara to romance
Ranveer, Ram in
two different films!
Kiara Advani, who was praised for her performances in 'Lust Stories,' 'Kabir Singh'
and 'Good Newwz', is now receiving several offers from all quarters. Recently, it was
reported that the actress is the front runner for Shankar's upcoming 'Pan-India'
film with Ram Charan. Now the latest report has an update.
Earlier this week, Kiara took to social media to share an Instagram story
celebrating two year anniversary of her blockbuster film 'Kabir Singh'. She shared
a poster of the film and captioned, "June will always be the most special month for
me! To the film that changed our lives forever. Major Missing
#2YearsofKabirSingh."Now the latest report claims that Kiara Advani has signed
a multi-film deal with the director Shankar. A source close to the development
revealed, "Kiara will be a part of both, 'RC 15' and 'Aparichit' adaptation. While she
is romantically paired alongside Ram Charan in one, the other film will mark her
first-time collaboration with Ranveer Singh.
The character details and shoot schedules have been kept under wraps, however, the
Shankar film Ranveer Singh will go on floors sometime next year, only once the work
on 'RC 15' is concluded."The report further reveals that there is a possibility that Kiara
Advani will be doing another film with the filmmaker apart from 'RC 15' and 'Aparichit'
adaptation. However, no details have been revealed as to whether the film will be
helmed by the ace director of will he be just producing it. The report quoted the source
saying, "It's essentially a deal to collaborate on three films over the next few years.
Source: Times Of India
Britney's public support may
not mean much in court
Britney Spears' powerful plea to a
judge to end the conservatorship
that has controlled her life since
2008 brought sympathy and outrage
from fans, famous supporters and
even casual observers who say she
deserves independence.
Yet lawyers who deal in such
matters say the speech itself may not
have helped her in the legal process,
which will be long and arduous.
"When Britney spoke, I mean, the
world listened. This was amazing,"
family law attorney Peter Walzer
said. "Now, whether the judge will
buy it, whether the judge will let her
out of her conservatorship, my bet is
no."
Spears' passionate, at times
emotional address Wednesday to
Los Angeles Superior Court Judge
Brenda Penny was the first time in 13
years she has spoken in open court
on the conservatorship, which she
called "abusive" and "stupid."
The conservatorship was put in
place as Spears, hounded by
paparazzi and media scrutiny while a
new mother, underwent a very
public mental health crisis in 2008.
Spears revisited the speech in an
Instagram post Thursday,
apologizing "for pretending like I've
been ok the past two years.
"I did it because of my pride and I
was embarrassed to share what
happened to me," she said, later
adding, "Believe it or not pretending
that I'm ok has actually helped."
In court, Spears said she is forced to
keep using an intrauterine device for
birth control and take other
medications, is prevented her from
getting married or having another
child, and is not allowed let her have
her own money. She condemned her
father and the others who control it.
The speech was compelling for the
same reasons it may be problematic
to the court. She spoke very quickly,
often profanely, and could seem out
of control as she rattled off injustices
and the emotional turmoil they have
brought her."It just seems to me that
her presentation to her court didn't
do herself any favors," said David
Glass, a family law attorney with a
doctorate in psychology. "The words
came out like bullets.
Source: Indian Express
H O ROscOPE
Aries
Your flexible nature may get you
in trouble today, Aries.
Personalities may clash when no
one is willing to lead. Be aggressive
without being manipulative. Keep it light. Don't
try to pin anyone down. Your nature is open and
expansive. Give other people the freedom they
want. Unexpected events may dramatically
change the course of the day, so don't be upset if
things don't go as planned.
Taurus
Things will flow smoothly for you,
Taurus. There's barely a reason for
you to lift a finger. You have the
good fortune of enjoying this day
with very little effort on your part. Keep in mind
that if you decide to get something done, you will
be extremely successful and able to accomplish
quite a bit. You're in sync with today's energy.
Gemini
People aren't going to want to be
quite as intense as you require
today, Gemini. Things are light
and airy. You may find that no one
is in the mood to delve as deeply
as you want to go. Use the day to relax and
release control for a while. Take deep breaths
and long walks. Go for a bike ride or short road
trip. Crazy, unexpected events may crop up
throughout the day. Be prepared for surprises.
cancer
It may be hard for you to make a
decision about anything today,
Cancer. Things may seem wishywashy
and unclear. Don't worry
about it. There is plenty of air to fuel your fire. Be
aware that people may pop up from the past and
unexpected events may disrupt the flow
throughout the day. Best-laid plans are apt to be
broken. Don't sweat it. Just go with the flow.
Leo
Things probably aren't going to go
exactly as you planned today, Leo.
Realize that people may act in
erratic, powerful bursts, especially
when it comes to emotional issues. Your feelings
may be a bit distant, and you may find it hard to
get in touch with what's really going on inside
you. Do your best to maintain a positive attitude.
That's all anyone can ask.
Virgo
Today is an excellent day for you,
Virgo. Events will flow quite
smoothly. The only thing to be aware
of is that your emotions may seem
rather erratic and unwieldy. There's a great deal of
power behind your words and people are sure to
listen. They would be smart to do so. What you have
to say will be right on target with today's energy.
Libra
You may be indecisive today,
Libra. You may not be able to find
solutions you can live with. You
don't need to finalize anything
now. Use this day to lay low and gather data.
People may seem rather insensitive and erratic.
Go with the flow. You have a great deal of
warmth and passion to share. You may find that
a strong, unpredictable force is affecting your
emotions.
scorpio
There is plenty of air to fuel your
fire today, Scorpio. You're able to
get quite a bit done. Multitasking
is key to accomplishing what you
want to do. An element of the unexpected is
likely to add a surprising dimension to the day.
You're able to communicate freely, and you will
likely be on the same page with the people you
meet.
sagittarius
You may need to make some
slight adjustments in order to get
through to people today,
Sagittarius. The pace may be a bit
faster than you'd like. Remember that people
aren't mind readers. They won't be sensitive
enough to pick up on your subtle messages. If
you want to get something across, state it clearly
and succinctly. Feel free to explore the
unconventional and bizarre.
capricorn
Today is an excellent day for you,
Capricorn. You will receive some
bursts of unexpected energy that
help you accomplish whatever it is
you wish to do. You should enjoy a favorable
mood and good relations with others all day.
Enjoy yourself and feel free to indulge in things
that make you happy. Spend time with your
family and let them share in your positive
energy flow.
Aquarius
Things may be moving a bit too
quickly today for you to grab hold
of anything, Aquarius. There's an
element of the unexpected
entering into the equation. Be prepared. The
mood of the day is especially light and perhaps a
bit superficial. People may not be entirely
reliable. If there's something you absolutely
need to do, consider doing it by yourself.
Pisces
Enjoy the day today, Pisces. Take
control of the situation and make the
most of whatever comes your way. Do
it with a smile. There's a great deal of
fun-loving, excited energy ready for you to draw upon.
Get your ideas out to others. Communicate your
thoughts. Attend a party or two. You're the epitome of
the social butterfly. Make sure to wear your best attire.
SuNDAY, JuNe 27, 2021
11
The culvert of the road in Madhya Tikaria area of Ashidron union of Srimangal upazila of
Moulvibazar has broken and turned into a death trap.
Photo: PBA
China does not consider India a strategic
rival: Ambassador Li Jiming
DHAKA : Chinese Ambassador to
Bangladesh Li Jiming has said
emphasized that China never takes India
as a "strategic rival" rather they consider
India a good neighbour of China.
"I would say, we never take India as a
strategic rival. We still hope that the
China-India relationship can be
improved. So, never imagine that China
would like to have any hostile or rival
attitude to India. That's not the case,"
said the envoy.
He made the remarks while
responding to a question at an online
symposium titled "Bangladesh-China
Relations: Prognosis for the Future"
hosted by the Cosmos Foundation and
premiered on its Facebook page on
Thursday evening.
Cosmos Foundation Chairman
Enayetullah Khan delivered the opening
remarks at the event while Dr. Iftekhar
Ahmed Chowdhury, renowned scholardiplomat
and adviser on foreign affairs
to the last caretaker government,
chaired the session.
Ambassador (retd) Tariq A. Karim,
CPD Distinguished Fellow Dr.
Debapriya Bhattacharya, former
Foreign Secretary Shamsher M.
Chowdhury, Assistant Researcher of the
Institute for International Studies at
Biden vows 'sustained'
help as Afghanistan
drawdown nears
WASHINGTON : President
Joe Biden on Friday promised
Afghanistan's top leaders a
"sustained" partnership even
as he moves to accelerate
winding down the United
States' longest war amid
escalating Taliban violence,
reports UNB.
Afghan President Ashraf
Ghani and Abdullah
Abdullah, chair of the High
Council for National
Reconciliation, met at the
Pentagon with Defense
Secretary Lloyd Austin before
their sit-down with Biden at
the White House later in the
afternoon. While Biden vowed
that the U.S. was committed
to assisting Afghanistan, he
also insisted that it was time
for the American military to
step back.
"Afghans are going to have
to decide their future," Biden
said in brief remarks at the
start of his meeting with the
Afghan leaders. Biden did not
elaborate on what a
"sustained" partnership might
entail.
The leaders' visit to
Washington comes as the
Biden administration has
stepped up plans for
withdrawal ahead of the
president's Sept. 11 deadline to
end a nearly 20-year-old war
that has come with a
breathtaking human cost.
Ghani also paid a visit on his
own Friday to House Speaker
Nancy Pelosi and with House
Republican lawmakers. He
met with Senate Minority
Leader Mitch McConnell on
Thursday.
More than 2,400 U.S.
troops have been killed and
20,000 wounded in the war
since 2001, according to the
Defense Department. It's
estimated that over 3,800 U.S.
private security contractors
have been killed.
Yunnan University Dr Zou Yingmeng,
Assistant Research Fellow at China
Institute of International Studies Dr
Ning Shengnan, former Ambassador
Serajul Islam and Dhaka University
Professor Dr Rashed Al Mahmud
Titumir comprised the panel of
discussants.
The Chinese Ambassador mentioned
a number of platforms where the two
countries are working together. "We're
still working very, very well together,
very closely."
Ambassador Li, as the Chinese
Ambassador to India's neighboring
country - Bangladesh, hoped that this
China-India relationship would be
improved more in the future.
Historically, they envoy said, they
have more than 2000 to 3000 years of
good relationship with India, and any
Chinese intellectual like himself has a
special feeling for Indian culture.
"Any Chinese intellectual, who is
well-educated, would have a special
feeling. A good feeling, towards India -
that is something untold publicly
probably," he said.
Enayetullah Khan fondly recalled
interviewing the present Chinese
Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Beijing
back in 2004 (when he was the Vice-
Foreign Minister) when Minister Yi
talked about new foreign policy which
is good neighborly relations with their
neighbors.
"I asked, where does Bangladesh
stand? His immediate answer was -
Bangladesh could be the bridge
between India and China," Khan said,
going down his memory lane.
As one of the discussants raised the
Quad issue - the 4-country alliance
between the USA, Australia, Japan and
India, that is seen as anti-Beijing. The
Ambassador took the opportunity to
explain what he said on the issue of
Bangladesh possibly being invited to
join, at a particular programme.
"As an Ambassador to Bangladesh,
the first foreign policy lesson I learned
is that Bangladesh adheres to the idea
of "friendship to all and malice to
none." So, I have full confidence that
Bangladesh will not be part of that
small clique," he said.
"But when I was asked if you would
like to see or do you think this is a good
idea for Bangladesh to do so, of course,
I would say no. What else can you
expect from me? Should I say yes?
That would have been ridiculous. So
that is the story about Quad,"
Ambassador Li added.
Knife attack in German city leaves
3 dead, suspect arrested
BERLIN : A man armed with a long knife
killed three people and injured five others,
some seriously, in Germany's southern
city of Wuerzburg on Friday before being
shot by police and arrested, authorities
said, reports UNB.
Police identified the suspect as a 24-
year-old Somali man living in Wuerzburg.
His life was not in danger from his
gunshot wound, they said.
Bavaria's top security official Joachim
Herrmann said the injured include a
young boy, whose father was probably
among the dead.
The suspect was in psychiatric treatment
before the attack and had been known to
police, Herrmann said. There was no
immediate word on a possible motive.
Videos posted on social media showed
pedestrians surrounding the attacker and
trying to hold him at bay with chairs and
sticks.
A woman who said she had witnessed
the incident told German RTL television
that the police then stepped in.
"He had a really big knife with him and
was attacking people," Julia Runze said.
"And then many people tried to throw
chairs or umbrellas or cellphones at him
and stop him."
"The police then approached him and I
think a shot was fired, you could hear that
clearly."
Police spokeswoman Kerstin Kunick
said officers were alerted around 5 p.m.
(1500 GMT) to a knife attack on
Barbarossa Square in the center of the
city. Wurzburg is a city of about 130,000
people located between Munich and
Frankfurt.
Bavaria's governor Markus Soeder
expressed shock at the news of the attack.
"We grieve with the victims and their
families," he wrote on Twitter.
"A big thank you and respect for the
spirited intervention by many citizens,
who confronted the suspected attacker in
a determined way," Soeder added. "And
also to all first responders for their work at
the scene."
Almost five years ago a 17-year-old
refugee from Afghanistan wounded four
people with an ax on a train near
Wuerzburg. He then fled and attacked a
woman passer-by before police shot him
dead.
Rab members arrested a terrorist with pistol in Baraigram of Natore yesterday.
Photo : Tofazzol Hossain
Bangladesh-Korea
CSR virtual
conference Sunday
DHAKA : A Bangladesh-
South Korea conference on
Corporate
Social
Responsibility (CSR) and
economic growth will be held
virtually on Sunday to discuss
ways to further deepen
Korean companies'
engagement with local
communities, reports UNB.
The South Korean
Embassy in Dhaka and the
CSR Centre in partnership
with Korea Trade Investment
Promotion Agency (KOTRA)
Dhaka office are jointly
organizing the "Korea-
Bangladesh CSR Conference
2021: CSR for Human
Resource Development and
Economic Growth".
The conference will be held
from 5pm to 6:35pm.
Planning Minister MA
Mannan will join the event as
the chief guest.
Corporate Social
Responsibility (CSR) is
increasingly becoming
important, especially for
developing nations, said the
Korean Embassy in Dhaka.
As Bangladesh strives
towards attaining economic
development with the target
set out in the Sustainable
Development Goals, it said.
Representatives from
Youngone Corporation,
Samsung R and D Institute
(SRBD), Samsung
Electronics, Hyundai E and
C, and Dohwa Engineering
will present their respective
CSR activities in Bangladesh.
6 troops killed, 15 UN peacekeepers
wounded in separate Mali attacks
BAMAKO : Six Malian soldiers were killed
on Friday in a raid in the centre of the war-torn
Sahel state, in a violent day which also saw 15
United Nations peacekeepers wounded in a
car-bomb attack further north, reports BSS.
The UN said on Twitter that an evacuation
was under way after a car bomb struck a
temporary base near Tarkint, in the lawless
north of Mali.
German Defence Minister Annegret Kramp-
Karrenbauer said 12 of the peacekeepers were
German and that three were seriously injured.
Two of the three were in a stable condition,
she said in a statement, while one has
undergone surgery. All of the wounded have
been evacuated by helicopter, Kramp-
Karrenbauer added.
One Belgian soldier was also injured in the
attack, according to a Belgian defence ministry
statement.
About 13,000 troops from several nations
are deployed in the UN's MINUSMA
peacekeeping mission across the vast semiarid
country.
Mali is struggling to contain an Islamist
insurgency that erupted in 2012 and which has
claimed thousands of military and civilian
lives.
Despite the presence of thousands of French
and UN troops, the conflict has engulfed the
centre of the country and spread to
neighbouring Burkina Faso and Niger.
A security official, who declined to be
identified, told AFP that the MINUSMA
forward operating base attacked on Friday was
only set up the previous day, after a land mine
damaged a UN vehicle in the area.
The peacekeepers set up the base in order to
remove the damaged vehicle, the security
official said.
Separately on Friday, militants also attacked
a Malian military outpost in the village of Boni
in the centre of the country, killing six soldiers
and injuring another. Mali's army stated on
Twitter that the troops had "vigorously
responded" to "simultaneous attacks"
launched in Boni in the afternoon.
Ten Malian soldiers had been killed in a
similar ambush in Boni in February.
Central Mali-which is the epicentre of the
conflict in the Sahel-also saw six French
soldiers and four civilians wounded on
Monday when a car bomb detonated near a
French armoured car.
Former colonial power France, which
intervened in Mali in 2013 to beat back the
jihadists, currently has 5,100 soldiers deployed
across the Sahel region.
But French President Emmanuel Macron
announced earlier this month that he would
wind down the Barkhane force.
France plans to refocus its energies on
strengthening an international task force of
special forces in Mali, known as Takuba.
A worker on whom a family depends. The picture was taken from Jamgarh in Ashulia area of Dhaka
on Saturday.
Photo: PBA
'Only going to get
hotter': Heat wave
blasts Northwest
SEATTLE : Seattle has only
hit 100 degrees Fahrenheit
(38 degrees Celsius) three
times in recorded history.
The National Weather
Service says the city could
top triple digits several times
in the coming days and may
eclipse the all-time record of
103 F (39 C) on Monday,
reports UNB.
The Pacific Northwest
sweltered as a historic heat
wave hit Washington and
Oregon, with temperatures
in many areas expected to
top out up to 30 degrees
above normal.
"If you're keeping a
written list of the records
that will fall, you might need
a few pages by early next
week," NWS Seattle tweeted.
The extreme and
dangerous heat was
expected to break all-time
records in cities and towns
from eastern Washington
state to southern Oregon as
concerns mounted about
wildfire risk in a region that's
already experiencing a
crippling and extended
drought.
Seattle was expected to edge
above 100 F © over the
weekend and in Portland,
Oregon, weather forecasters
said the thermometer could
soar to 108 F (42 C) by Sunday,
breaking an all-time record of
107 F (42 C) set in 1981.
Unusually hot weather was
expected to extend into next
week for much of the region.
Three MSF aid workers
killed in Ethiopia's Tigray
NAIROBI : One Spanish and two Ethiopian
employees of the medical charity Medecins
Sans Frontieres (MSF) have been "brutally
murdered" in Ethiopia's war-torn northern
Tigray region, the organisation said Friday.
The trio "were travelling yesterday
afternoon when we lost contact with them.
This morning, their vehicle was found empty
and a few metres away, their lifeless bodies,"
the international aid group said in a
statement.
"No words can truly convey all our sadness,
shock and outrage against this horrific
attack."
The conflict in Tigray began in November,
when Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed
sent troops in to oust the dissident regional
leadership, promising a swift victory.
But the fighting continues nearly eight
months later, and has triggered a
humanitarian crisis which the United
Nations warns has left 350,000 people on the
brink of famine.
MSF, or Doctors Without Borders, named
the Spanish victim as 35-year-old aid
coordinator Maria Hernandez from Madrid.
She started working with MSF in 2015 in
the Central African Republic and had since
worked in Yemen, Mexico and Nigeria.
The other victims were Yohannes Halefom
Reda, a 31-year-old coordination assistant
who had joined MSF in February, and Tedros
Gebremariam Gebremichael, also 31, who
had been a driver for the charity since May.
"We condemn this attack on our colleagues
in the strongest possible terms and will be
relentless in understanding what happened,"
said MSF, which was founded in Paris but is
headquartered in Geneva and has several
global affiliates.
"Maria, Yohannes and Tedros were in
Tigray providing assistance to people, and it
is unthinkable that they paid for this work
Man jumps from
moving plane at Los
Angeles airport
A passenger was taken to the hospital Friday
night after jumping out of a moving plane at
Los Angeles International Airport,
authorities said.
United Express flight 5365, operated by
SkyWest, was pulling away from a gate
shortly after 7 p.m. when the man
unsuccessfully tried to breach the cockpit,
then managed to open the service door and
jumped down the emergency slide onto the
tarmac, according to the airport and
SkyWest, reports UNB.
The man was taken into custody on the
taxiway, treated for injuries that were not
life-threatening and taken to the hospital,
authorities said.
The twin-engine Embraer 175, which was
headed to Salt Lake City, returned to its gate,
the airport said.
with their lives."
The UN called for Ethiopia to launch a swift
investigation into the killings.
Ramesh Rajasingham, the UN's acting
assistant secretary-general for humanitarian
affairs, described the attack as "outrageous
and saddening".
"Authorities must now promptly
investigate these reports of serious violations
of international humanitarian law," he added.
The United States echoed the call for an
independent investigation, saying it was
"appalled and deeply saddened" to hear
about the "indefensible" killings.
"The Government of Ethiopia ultimately
bears full responsibility for ensuring the
safety of humanitarian workers and free and
unhindered access to humanitarian
assistance," US State Department
spokesperson Ned Price added.
The European Union's chief diplomat
Josep Borrell said the bloc condemned the
aid workers' killings "in the strongest possible
terms", adding: "This atrocity is another
horrific example of the escalation of the
conflict in Tigray."
In a tweet, Spanish Foreign Minister
Arancha Gonzalez Laya expressed her "great
sadness" and said she was in contact with
Ethiopian authorities to "clarify" what
happened and repatriate Hernandez's
remains.
The Ethiopian foreign ministry confirmed
that three humanitarian workers had been
killed in the Abi Adi area, 50 kilometres (30
miles) from the regional capital Mekele,
adding that the Tigray People's Liberation
Front (TPLF) operate in the region.
Violence in the area has increased in recent
days.
On Tuesday at least 64 people were killed
and 180 injured in an air strike on a market in
the Tigray region.
Sunday, Dhaka, June 27, 2021, Ashar 13, 1428 BS, Zilqad 15, 1442 Hijri
Delta the 'most transmissible' of
variants identified so far: WHO
Cox's Bazar district correspondent of The Bangladesh Today Shafiul Alam greeted the Chairman of
the Department of Oceanography, University of Dhaka and also acting Editor of The Bangladesh
Today with flower during the visit to Cox's Bazar with his wife.
Photo : TBT
Chauvin gets
22 ½ years in
prison for George
Floyd's death
MINNEA POLIS : Former
Minneapolis police Officer Derek
Chauvin has been sentenced to 22 ½
years in prison for the murder of
George Floyd, whose dying gasps
under Chauvin's knee led to the biggest
outcry against racial injustice in the
U.S. in generations, reports UNB.
The punishment handed out Friday
fell short of the 30 years that prosecutors
had requested.
With good behavior, Chauvin, 45,
could be paroled after serving twothirds
of his sentence, or about 15 years.
Former police Officer Derek Chauvin
broke his long courtroom silence Friday
as he faced sentencing for the murder of
George Floyd, offering condolences to
Floyd's family and saying he hopes more
information coming out will give them
"some peace of mind."
Chauvin, who did not testify at his
trial, removed his COVID-19 and turned
toward the Floyd family, speaking only
briefly because of what he called "some
additional legal matters at hand" - an
apparent reference to the federal civil
rights trial he still faces.
"But very briefly, though, I do want to
give my condolences to the Floyd family.
There's going to be some other information
in the future that would be of
interest. And I hope things will give you
some some peace of mind," he said,
without elaborating.
Hisattorney Eric Nelson called Floyd's
death "tragic," and that Chauvin"s
"brain is littered with what-ifs" from the
day: "What if I just did not agree to go in
that day? What if things had gone differently?
What if I never responded to that
call? What if what if what if?"
Floyd's family members took the
stand and expressed sorrow about his
death. They asked for the maximum
penalty.
Govt determined to
take education sector
forward: Zakir
DHAKA : State Minister for
Primary and Mass Education Md
Zakir Hossain yesterday lauded the
initiatives taken by Prime Minister
Sheikh Hasina for the education
sector and said that the government
under her dynamic leadership
is taking the sector forward.
"Father of the Nation
Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur
Rahman believed that education is
the key to overall development and
prosperity of the nation. That's
why he nationalized 36,165 schools
and 1,57,724 teachers.
Following this, his worthy
daughter Prime Minister Sheikh
Hasina nationalized 26,193 private
schools including teachers,"
he said at a review meet, said a
release here.
The state minister was addressing
a meeting to review the
achievements of Reaching Out-of-
School Children (ROSK) Phase-II
at LGED building in Sher-e-Bangla
Nagar, jointly organized by LGED
and DPE.
"The government has been providing
various trainings to teachers
including distribution of free textbooks
to improve the quality of primary
education.
Cooked food and high nutritional
rich biscuits are being served
among the needy students in poor
areas with the aim of increasing
the mental development and physical
nutrition of the students," he
said.
Mentioning that the 'ROSK'
Project has created a second education
opportunity and provided
technical education to the children
of the poorest families who have
not been able to complete the primary
education cycle, Zakir said,
"In future, this project will create
entrepreneurs who will create their
own employment as well as the
employment for others."
The state minister further said
that, "In order to maintain the continuity
of primary education activities
in spite of the ongoing Covid-
19 epidemic situation, 'Ghore Bose
Shikhi' lessons are being conducted
through Sangsad Bangladesh
Television with the aim of keeping
the students focused on their studies
and lessons in compliance with
hygiene norms as well as
Bangladesh Betar and all community
radios."
"Online classes have already
started through Zoom and Google
Meet and work is underway to
deliver worksheets to students
from door to door", the state minister
added, added the release.
The meeting was chaired by Md
Abdur Rashid Khan, Chief
Engineer, Department of Local
Government Engineering.
Director General of the
Department of Primary Education
Alamgir Md Mansurul Alam,
Additional Secretary, Ministry of
Primary and Mass Education Ratan
Chandra Pandit and ROSK Project
Director Md Mahbub Hasan Shahin
addressed the meeting.
UNITED NATIONS/GENEVA : The
Delta variant of COVID-19, identified in
at least 85 countries, is the "most transmissible"
of the variants identified so far
and is spreading rapidly among unvaccinated
populations, WHO chief Tedros
Adhanom Ghebreyesus has warned,
reports BSS .
"I know that globally there is currently a
lot of concern about the Delta variant, and
the WHO is concerned about it too,"
Director-General Ghebreyesus said at a
WHO press briefing on Friday.
The Delta variant was first identified in
India. "Delta is the most transmissible of
the variants identified so far, has been
identified in at least 85 countries, and is
spreading rapidly among unvaccinated
populations," he said in Geneva. He noted
with concern that as some countries ease
public health and social measures, "we are
starting to see increases in transmission
around the world.
"More cases means more hospitalisations,
further stretching health workers
and health systems, which increases the
risk of death," he said.
While pointing out that new COVID-19
variants are expected and will continue to
Indian Air Force
Chief in city
DHAKA : Indian Air Chief Marshal
Rakesh Kumar Singh Bhadauria
arrived in Dhaka on Saturday on a
three-day visit. The visit of the Indian
Air Force Chief in the year of Golden
Jubilee of Bangladesh's independence
will further "strengthen the close and
fraternal ties" existing between the
Armed Forces of the two countries, officials
said.
The Indian Air Chief is visiting
Bangladesh at the invitation from the
Chief of Air Staff, Bangladesh Air Force.
The Indian Air Force Chief is scheduled
to pay courtesy calls to all senior
officers of the Bangladesh Armed Forces
and will meet other senior officers from
the Bangladesh Air Force, said the
Indian High Commission in Dhaka.
He will also be visiting major BAF air
bases across Bangladesh during the
course of his visit.
The Indian Air Force Chief would
also be paying tribute to the members
of the Bangladesh Armed Forces, who
made the supreme sacrifices during the
Liberation War of 1971, by laying
wreath at the altar of Shikha Anirban at
Dhaka Cantonment.
A major highlight of his current visit
is that, the Chief of Air Staff, Indian Air
Force, has been invited as the Chief
Guest of Commissioning Ceremony on
the occasion of President Parade-2021
at Bangladesh Air Force Academy
(BAFA), Jessore.
This is the first time that an Indian
Air Chief would have the distinct honour
of reviewing the Parade of BAFA,
which goes on to show the strong commitment
and trust that both Air Forces
have towards each other.
be reported, "that's what viruses do, they
evolve - but we can prevent the emergence
of variants by preventing transmission."
In a strong warning, Dr Maria Van
Kerkhove, COVID-19 Technical Lead at
the WHO said the Delta variant is a "dangerous"
virus and is more transmissible
than the Alpha variant, which was itself
extremely transmissible across Europe
and any country that it entered.
"The Delta variant is even more transmissible,"
she said, adding that the WHO
is seeing trajectories of incidents that are
almost "vertical" in a number of countries
around the world.
Many European countries are witnessing
a decline in cases but there are a lot of
events happening across the region,
including large sporting or religious
events "or even backyard barbecues."
"All of these actions have consequences
and the Delta variant is spreading readily
among people who are unvaccinated,"
Kerkhove said. While some countries
have high percentages of people who are
vaccinated, yet the entire population of
those nations is not yet vaccinated and
many people have not received their second
dose or the full course of dose of the
COVID-19 vaccines, she said.
Kerkhove underlined that COVID-19
vaccines are "incredibly effective" at preventing
severe disease and death, including
against the Delta variant.
"The virus will continue to evolve. And
right now our public health and social
measures work, our vaccines work," the
diagnostics work and the therapeutics
work.
"But there may be a time where this
virus evolves and these countermeasures
don't. So we need some kind of
movement to pull ourselves together to
drive transmission down and keep it
down," she said.
Kerkhove warned that events that are
large scale and see huge crowds "will have
consequences. We are already starting to
see some consequences of these events
with increasing transmission again.
The Delta variant will make that epidemic
curve exponential," she warned.
She urged people to keep themselves safe
and make decisions individually about
what they need to do every day.
"There's a lot that all of us want to be
doing, but there's not a lot that we need to
be doing right now," she said.
COP26:Young people
urged to raise voice
to save planet
DHAKA : State Minister for Foreign Affairs
M Shahriar Alam has called upon the young
people and climate activists of Bangladesh
and the UK to join hands and emerge as the
greatest force for good for their respective
countries in protecting the planet. He urged
them to raise their voices at the COP26
and beyond, and be an asset to their local
communities in saving the planet, people
and nature for succeeding generations.
"There is no planet B or plan B."
The State Minister was addressing a youth
climate dialogue titled "Bangladesh-UK
Youth Voices on Climate Action: The Road
to Glasgow" held virtually on Friday night.
Bangladesh High Commission in
London, in collaboration with Tower
Hamlets Council, organized the youth
climate dialogue on the occasion of the
50th anniversaries of Bangladesh's
Independence and Bangladesh-UK diplomatic
relations. The event coincided with
and be a part of the London Climate Action
Week 2021.
Minister for London, Paul Scully MP
attended the event as the guest of honour
which was co-chaired by High
Commissioner of Bangladesh to Saida
Muna Tasneem and Mayor of the Tower
Hamlets Council John Biggs. Rushanara
Ali MP of the Tower Hamlets Borough
and Nahim Razzaq MP also attended.
Councillor Asma Islam, Cabinet
Member for Environment and Public
Realm (Job Share) - Lead on
Environment also spoke at the event.
Shahriar said under the extraordinary climate-stewardship
of Prime Minister Sheikh
Hasina, Bangladesh has emerged a global
leader in adaptation, climate-resilience, and
nature-based climate solutions. "We are
also submitting ambitious and quantified
NDCs ahead of COP26 including a renewable
energy target of 40% by 2041," he said.
Bangladesh Parliament was the first in
South Asia to declare a "Planetary Emergency"
and called on the world to work "on a warfooting"
to stop climate change.
Bangladesh government is spending on
an average 2.5% of our GDP, US$5 billion
each year in climate adaptation and
resilience-building alongside the
Bangladesh Delta Plan 2100, he added.
"Without waiting for external; financing
our government implemented more than
800 climate action projects from PM
Sheikh Hasina's self-financed 450 million
US$ National Climate Change Trust
Fund," said the State Minister.
He said Bangladesh looks forward to
UK's robust and ambitious climate leadership
at the COP26 and beyond specially
in securing mitigation commitments
by the G20 to curb global emissions substantially,
arrest global temperatures at
1.5 degrees, secure maximal climate
finance especially the promised 100 billion
USD each year.
Bangladesh and India urged to cooperate
on Meghna River basin
DHAKA : Speakers at a dialogue have
called on Bangladesh and India to boost
cooperation in protecting and promoting
the ecosystem services of the Meghna
River basin for the benefit of 50 million
people living in the region shared by the
two countries.
The two neighbours should work
together to the make the basin as one the
most vibrant regions of South Asia,
Planning Minister Abdul Mannan said.
"There is no alternative to cooperation
and working together," he said while
addressing the first ever knowledge forum
on the Meghna River basin, the minister
said, according to a release from
International Union for Conservation of
Nature (IUCN) on Saturday.
It is estimated that more than 50 million
people in Bangladesh and India depend
on the ecosystem services provided by the
basin, including indigenous forest
dependent communities such as the
Khasi, Garo, and Jaintia; and the fishermen
and farmers depending on the extensive
wetlands (Haors) of Sylhet region in
Bangladesh.
R. R. Sambharia, representing India's
Ministry of Jal Shakti and Senior Joint
Commissioner, Ground Water and Flood
Management, advised the IUCN to share
the result of the forum with the Joint River
Commission (JRC) of Bangladesh and
India, and its dissemination to the relevant
government departments at the state level.
To maintain the momentum created
through the Meghna Knowledge Forum
(MKF) 2021 and to attract international
donor agencies to the Meghna River basin,
IUCN will disseminate the forum outcomes
at the bilateral and global platforms,
such as IUCN World Conservation
Congress in Marseille France planned in
September 2021.
Malik Fida A Khan, Executive Director,
Center for Environmental and Geographic
Information Services, said the article 6 of
Framework Agreement for Cooperation
between Bangladesh and India, mandates
the two countries to work together for the
preservation of ecosystem of the shared
rivers.
"This provides an entry point for
strengthening the discourse on the formation
of Meghna River Basin Organization
(RBO), which needs to ensure multi-level
coordination for the sustainable management
of the Meghna basin."
More than 100 participants from across
the Meghna basin joined the three-day
forum held recently, said IUCN on
Saturday. The three-day forum laid the
foundation of a multi-stakeholder knowledge
exchange platform for the inclusive
management of the Meghna river basin.
Designed as a virtual event, the forum's
objective was to facilitate partnerships
among different stakeholders and sectors
to address knowledge gaps in the implementation
of an Integrated Water
Resource Management (IWRM) in the
Meghna River basin.
Chan (hay) is an important product in Bangladesh and it is also a cash crop in different areas. Chan is
used to make ropes, mats, bags, baskets, etc. In ancient times, chan ghar was used as a tent. The picture
was taken from Aolakandi Ghat in Dhunat upazila of Bogura on Saturday.
Photo: PBA